Once Upon A Play
by jeronimotorchwood
Summary: After the war, when the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation, Toph decides to brew up some trouble and takes them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple. But what happens when the whole of Ba Sing Se believes it? Zukaang.
1. Part I: The Play

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang, KataraxAang, MaixZuko, SokkaxSuki  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read. Jealous!Katara, Perverted!Toph, Fluffiness, Swearing! Sexual references, Randomness!  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se  
**Important Note:** The dialogue in italics is the actors talking.  
**Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**ONCE UPON A PLAY...**

**Part I  
The Play**

Aang's grey eyes silently followed the slow and circular movements of the fan. Round and round and round. Their apartment was very still, since the afternoon heat had caused everyone to feel incredibly lazy. But try as hard as he might, the air bender just couldn't fall asleep. So he had resorted to just following the movements of the fan, in hopes that the repeated motions might make him feel at least a little drowsy. In the end, he had found himself concentrating even harder on following the circular motions of the fan with his eyes.

Presently, the stifling silence of the Gang's apartment in the Upper Ring was interrupted as the door to one of the rooms slid open and Zuko stepped out, yawning. Aang at once shot up, eager for something to do. "Hey, Zuko!" He called out brightly.

Zuko, however, seemed not to have noticed Aang and jumped violently as the air bender's voice rang throughout the room. He turned his head to squint at him, one hand reaching up to rake through his black locks. "Hey, Aang. You're awake a little early." He said as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"Oh yeah. I couldn't sleep. Personally though, I don't get why someone would want to sleep in the middle of the day. Especially you, Zuko." Aang said as he padded his way across the wooden floor and into the kitchen.

"Aang." Zuko said flatly as he turned around to look at the air bender. "It is ridiculously hot out there and you know there's absolutely nothing to do indoors. That barely leaves any choice." He said matter-of-factly before turning around to pour himself a glass of water.

"Well, we could have played a game of Pai Sh-" Aang began but was cut off as the front door slid open with a loud bang and Toph and Sokka entered.

"What's up, Twinkles? Sparky?" Toph asked as she plopped down onto the couches pushed up against the wall along with Sokka. "Hey, guys!" He said loudly.

"Where have you two been? I thought you were sleeping." Aang said as he glanced once at Zuko before going out and sitting across from them.

"Well, we obviously weren't, twinkletoes. And you should thank us too. Because we have already set up the evening's entertainment." Toph said, a mischievous grin curving her lips upwards.

"Why does that not excite me?" Zuko asked dryly as he noticed Toph's expression.

"Aw, come on, Zuko. Brighten up a little, would you?" Sokka said.

"Yeah, Zuko." Aang said brightly. "At least we don't have to sleep around anymore." He said.

"Suppose not. So what did you have in mind?" Zuko asked as he turned to the two.

"A play!" The two said in unison.

"Uh, I've kind of lost my taste for plays ever since that one on Ember Island." Aang said, somewhat warily.

"But this one is different." Sokka said.

"What's it about?" He asked.

"It shows Aang and Ozai's fight and...other things." Toph said with an almost feral grin on her lips.

Aang and Zuko exchanged a wary glance before looking back at the two. "What do you mean?" Aang said.

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough. I have a feeling you two are gonna _love _it." Sokka said with an evil laugh.

* * *

The sun had almost set when a large thump issued at the door, followed by the peaceful tinkling of a bell. Still, thoroughly bored, Aang trudged towards the door and slid it open. On the floor lay a scrupulously packed bundle of parchment and he peeked out to see the paper boy turning around the corner, a small bell in his hand. With a small smile, he stepped back into the house and shut the door.

"The evening paper's here." He said, even though he knew that no one except Zuko or Iroh would be interested. So, it came as a bit of a surprise when he threw it on the coffee table and Sokka at once jolted upright, a horrified expression growing on his face.

The tribesman snatched the paper up and Zuko's sharp gaze immediately noticed the hasty movement. "What's wrong?" The fire bender asked suspiciously as he looked at Sokka.

"HA! What makes you think something's wrong?" Sokka asked, his voice suddenly seeming a lot higher.

Zuko seemed unconvinced but before he could utter another word, Sokka sidled into the adjoining room. At once, he slammed the door shut and turned to Toph who was sitting on the floor, petting Momo. "What's up?" She asked absentmindedly.

"They printed it. They actually believe its true." He said, his voice shaking violently as he dropped the paper into her lap.

Toph stared up at him before a slight laugh followed. "Honestly, Sokka. That's pushing it a bit. I'm pretty sure no one's _that_ stupid."

"You don't believe me? I'll get someone else to read it for you." He said seriously.

Toph looked up at him in surprise and at once shuffled over to the door. "This isn't good." Sokka said as he slid open the door a fraction and the two stared at Zuko and Aang who were sitting, blissfully unaware, on the couch.

* * *

It was in light of this unnerving discovery that Toph happened to be in an incredibly bad mood that evening while Sokka paced around looking nervous. "What is wrong with you two?" Suki asked worriedly.

"Nothing!" Sokka said, much too hastily and even though Suki seemed unconvinced - and somewhat offended - she let it go.

"WOULD YOU HURRY UP ALREADY, SUGAR QUEEN?" Toph shouted suddenly as she hammered on the door to Katara's bedroom.

"Calm down, Toph." Aang muttered from the sofa, but flinched as she turned on him.

"Don't tell me to calm down. There's barely three minutes left before the play starts!" She shouted angrily.

"Shut up, Toph. It's not Aang's fault we're running late." Zuko snapped.

A short, awkward pause followed in which the fire bender seemed a little uncomfortable concerning his rather harsh wording, Toph's sightless eyes stared at him, and Aang smiled gratefully at him. Then, as if nothing, had happened, she turned back to the door and started knocking on it. Hard.

"What is your PROBLEM.?" Katara yelled as she slid open the door with a loud bang.

"Well, tempers are certainly running high today." Mai drawled from the couch but no one replied.

"Let's not waste any more time, guys." Aang piped up before anything more happened.

"Yeah, come on." Sokka agreed and at once, bounded towards the door and slid it open. Everyone filed out and the tribesman slid the door shut before practically jogging down the street towards the theater. It took quite an effort to keep and by the time they reached their destination, they had all broken a sweat. However, Sokka was relentless and hurriedly ushered them into the building and straight into the theater room.

Aang's face fell as he saw that the show had already begun and in the darkness of the balcony, everyone hastily took a seat. His foot caught in someone else's and he tripped forward when suddenly, a hand closed around the scruff of his shirt. "Sit down." Zuko's voice breathed into his ear and he obliged.

He saw that, somehow, he had ended up alone with him in the very back row. Katara, Mai and Toph were seated in front of them with Suki and Sokka in the front seats. Aang made himself comfortable, crossing his legs underneath him as he sat back with his knee lightly grazing Zuko's leg. The fire bender, in turn, draped his arm across the back of the seat and they sat close to each other, as if it were the most natural thing in the whole world. Although, Aang was mostly just anxious because darkness engulfed them from all sides and even though two more people could have easily fitted on either side of them, there seemed to be some sort of unspoken pact to leave them alone.

And somehow, the dense air bender didn't find that suspicious at all.

"Aang." A voice whispered beside him and he turned to look at Zuko.

"What?" He whispered back.

"Check this out. I picked up this leaflet from the counter and I still don't have a very good feeling about this." He hissed conspiratorially.

Aang shot him a reproachful look which obviously meant _stop being so paranoid_ but took the parchment nonetheless. Zuko jerked his wrist and as a flame sprung to life in his hand, the two leaned forward to read the overview.

_Miyako Suzuri and The Ba Sing Se Royal Theater Proudly Presents:  
_**_FORBIDDEN LOVE_**

_Directed by the best of the best, this play sheds light upon the intricate series of events which lead up to the conclusion of the hundred year war from which all have suffered.  
But what if there was an underlying story being concealed behind it all?  
What if it brought two of the gravest enemies together in a heart-wrenching journey of pain, misery, suffering and..._

**_LOVE_**

"I still don't see what the problem is." Aang said.

"You're so oblivious, Aang. But don't say I didn't warn you." Zuko said before putting out the fire and turning to look at the stage.

Before Aang could ponder any more on it, the actors on the stage began to talk.

_"ZUKO! WE DID IT!"_ The actor playing Aang screeched happily as he launched himself into the arms of another actor, who was obviously portraying Zuko.

"You sound like a girl." The fire bender humorously muttered into his ear and Aang frowned at him.

"I do _not_!" He whispered defiantly. "You look ridiculous." He added.

Zuko merely chuckled, his warm breath ghosting on Aang's neck as he did. "Not as ridiculous as you sound." He purred teasingly and the hair on the air bender's neck prickled as he suddenly grew much too aware of Zuko's presence next to him.

_"No, Aang! YOU did it."_ Zuko said in an overly exaggerated voice.

"Who knew you were such a dramatist, Fire Lord Zuko?" Aang whispered jokingly.

"I only have one word to say to that actor." Zuko said and as the air bender looked inquisitively at him. "Ew."

Aang suppressed a laugh as he grinned at the fire bender before looking towards the stage again.

_"Don't you know what this meeeans, Zuko?" _Aang said happily.

Up on the balcony, Aang and Zuko exchanged a puzzled glance.

_"But, it possibly COULDN'T!"_ Zuko said, one hand reaching up to rest on his heart.

At this, Aang giggled loudly and the fire bender nudged him hard in the ribs, only to have him laugh even harder. A loud _shh _issued from the front and Aang managed to suppress his mirth, even though his shoulders still shook.

"This is stupid." Zuko muttered, not at all amused by the ridiculous portrayal.

"I think you mean, 'This is so** STUPID**!'" The air bender said exaggeratedly as he took Zuko's hand in his and pressed it to the fire bender's chest melodramatically.

"You're such an-" Zuko began with a laugh but was cut off as another _shh_ followed from the front. The two fell silent just as the actors spoke.

_"Yes, Zuko! There is nothing in this whole world that can make us hide our undying love for each other anymore. I LOVE YOU, ZUKO!"_ Aang said and before anyone could even move a limb, the actor playing Aang ripped off Zuko's shirt and began to ravage his mouth.

Aang's mouth fell open in shock and he looked around at Zuko, to see that the fire bender's expression mirrored his own. Suddenly, he felt his cheeks grow warm and inched away from Zuko, only now realizing that they had moved even closer to each other during their whispered conversation. So there they were, their noses barely inches apart and both their cheeks flushed red, when the lights suddenly came on.

The two sprang apart almost instantly, Zuko snatching his hand away from the backrest and placing it safely in his lap and Aang sliding all the way over to the other side of the bench. But they weren't quick enough and Sokka and Suki stared incredulously at the two blushing boys. "Sneaking your own kisses back there, I see?" Toph interjected with a wicked grin.

Aang's face, if anything, grew even more red while Zuko glared at Toph. "Ha. Ha" The fire bender said, clearly not amused.

"Aw, come on! You're telling me you didn't love that?" Sokka said with an exaggerated grin.

"No, I didn't." Zuko said flatly as he stood up. "And I'm pretty sure that's Aang's not a fan either." He said coldly as he looked down at the air bender who had covered his flushed face with his hands.

"It's just a joke, Zuko. Brighten up, would you?" Katara said cheerily.

The fire bender refrained from swearing rather obscenely at her and instead, latched onto Aang's forearm and began to drag him out of the theater room. "Isn't that sweet?" Toph said, making disgusting kissing sounds.

Zuko slammed the door behind him and turned around to face Aang, only to see that the air bender was decisively making his way to the exit. "Aang, wait up!" He called as he followed after him.

"How could they _do_ that?" The air bender hissed angrily as Zuko caught up with him.

"Yeah, well, they obviously think they're just a great bunch of jokers." He said darkly.

"You were right, I suppose." Aang said dully as his shoulders slumped. "But how did you know?" He asked, managing to infuse just a little bit of curiosity into his voice.

Zuko smiled wryly at Aang before pulling the parchment out of his pocket and pointing at a line. "Two of the gravest enemies." He said quietly.

"But we're not enemies any more." Aang protested as he pouted.

Zuko had to stop himself from smiling and instead, just pushed open the door to the exit as they reached it. "I know, Aang. Let's just go home before we have to suffer any more humiliation." The fire bender said bitterly.

"I don't want to go home." Aang said loudly. "You know they'll be there." He said with a frown.

"Where then?" Zuko asked quietly.

"I dunno. Somewhere quiet." Aang said as he looked down at the ground.

"Aw, how romantic." Zuko said teasingly.

"Not you too!" Aang whined and elbowed him hard in the ribs.

The fire bender drew a sharp breath before he burst out laughing. "Just kidding." He said as he draped his arm across Aang's shoulder.

Under his touch, the air bender immediately cringed and as a delicate blush bloomed on his cheeks, he averted his gaze from Zuko's. "What?" The fire bender said, somewhat offended.

"D-Don't. What if s-someone sees?" Aang mumbled quietly.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Zuko said irritably.

"Nothing!" Aang said hastily but the fire bender did not fail to notice as he inched away from him.

"Whatever." The fire bender said coldly as he let his arm fall to his side and glared at him.

"Don't look at me like that." He said shrilly.

"My glaring at you doesn't make you gay, Aang." Zuko said angrily.

Stung, the air bender drew back. A short, awkward silence followed before he looked up at Zuko. "I didn't mean it like that."

The fire bender merely raised his eyebrows, as if saying _Didn't you?_ and before Aang could even utter another defense, he had turned away and made his way towards the end of the street. The air bender stared after him with a scowl on his face, wondering if what he had done had really been that offensive.

* * *

_Hmhmhmhm, I think Zuko and Aang might have turned out just a tad bit OOC_

_Anyway, hope you like this chapter and if you have any suggestions concerning the plot [yea, I don't really know where this is going xP], PM me :D_

_Don't forget to review!_

_-Jade258_


	2. Part II: The Scandal

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

_

* * *

_

**Part II  
The Scandal**

Aang tiredly trudged his way up to their apartment, the streets still alive with noise since barely two hours had passed since sunset. However, the air bender found that he was in no way up for any activities tonight and merely wanted to go and topple over onto his bed. Yes, that would be good.

But of course, as soon as Aang slid open the door to their apartment, he saw that no way was any such thing going to happen. Why?

Well, in the very corner of the living room Suki, Sokka, Katara and Toph were crowded around Zuko who was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. Mai sat to one side of the room and was quietly listening to and watching their exchange with undisguised amusement.

Toph had once again resorted to uttering those disgusting kissing sounds while Sokka made ridiculous puns that made no sense at all and Suki every now and then added a point which made poor Zuko blush even harder. The fire bender truly was regretting having come home in such a hurry.

"AANG!" Sokka suddenly hollered.

Everyone spun around to look at the air bender who had been attempting to sidle into his room and under their scrutiny, he froze like a deer in headlights. "Come join us, won't you, twinkle toes? I'm sure your boyfriend is getting bored without you." Toph said with an almost feral grin.

Zuko openly glared at the back of the earth bender's head while beside her, Sokka had to suppress a laugh. Katara however, seemed not to have appreciated the comment and frowned at Toph. Aang had the common sense to use the slight distraction that this remark caused and at once, dived into the nearest room.

"HEY!" Toph hollered and he heard her heavy footsteps nearing the door, just as he blasted it shut with his air bending and then sealed it with both ice and earth. With an exasperated sigh, he sank to the floor beside the door and vaguely noticed that he had ended up in Sokka's room.

Smiling wryly at the thought, Aang sighed softly as he heard Toph yelling obscene threats at him from the other side of the door. Ignoring her, he stood up and it suddenly occured to him that maybe there was some way he could entertain himself, since he was sure to be stuck in there as long as the others were awake.

Humming quietly to himself, Aang shuffled over to the bedside table and rummaged inside it as he looked for a book or maybe some outdated newspapers. He didn't mind what he got. He just didn't want to die of boredom in the confines of Sokka's room. And he was desperately in need for a distraction from the humiliation and disappointment that had been nagging him ever since Zuko had turned around and left him in the street.

Frowning deeply at the thought, Aang shuffled through the contents of the drawer even more diligently and at last, spotted a bundle of parchment. Newspapers!

Sighing in relief, the air bender pulled it out and turned it over to view the front page. However, what he saw next made all the color drain from his face and the next thing he knew, he had sunk down onto the bed in a mild shock.

* * *

Katara curiously listened at the door as silence suddenly fell inside. For the past five minutes, her and Suki's ears had been pressed against the door as they listened to Aang rummage through papers, or something that sounded like them. Suki was merely there to accompany Katara while absentmindedly thinking of more points to embarrass Zuko with but the water bender was truly concerned.

She was not even sure why. It was not like Aang was in any trouble. He didn't even seem all that angry. Just desperate for some privacy. But she still leaned cautiously against the door as she awaited the next bout of noise, refusing to believe that Aang had fallen asleep. She knew him well enough to know that he probably wouldn't be able to since the play was sure to be bothering him.

Seven minutes passed and still no sound.

Katara's concern merely grew and she couldn't help but feel a little prickle of annoyance towards Zuko who had stormed into the house without Aang. Who knew what the air bender had been up to all alone?

Katara was still in the middle of her musings, when she heard footsteps steadily nearing the door. She stepped aside just as the door slid open and her expression relaxed into a smile as her gaze found Aang's grey eyes. However, the air bender seemed dazed and her brow furrowed in confusion as he side-stepped and made his way towards Zuko.

"Aang!" Katara called reproachfully, somewhat peeved by the fact that he was going to Zuko.

A tentative silence fell as Aang took a seat beside Zuko and then held out his fist. Puzzled, the fire bender took the crumpled piece of parchment that he held and unfolded it, somewhat hesitantly.

Everyone gathered around the couch to peek over his shoulder and a sudden _EEK_ issued from Sokka's mouth as he saw the newspaper article. However, it was too late and he watched fearfully as Zuko's expression changed from puzzlement to surprise to...rage.

Uh oh.

The awkward silence continued and then Zuko opened his mouth. Sokka half-expected him to start shouting and but instead, he closed his mouth and placed the article on the table. Everyone except Sokka and Toph leaned forward to read what it said.

**AVATAR AND THE FIRE LORD: SEXUAL SCANDAL!**

_Miyako Suzuri, known for producing some of the most controversial plays in the history of Earth Kingdom show-biz, has once again struck. 'My newest play may be controversial but it is ridden with the hidden truths that everyone but me has failed to notice' claims Suzuri. Forbidden Love has caused a new wave of outrage and skepticism all over the world and many eyebrows are being raised concerning Avatar Aang's sexuality. _

_Many claim that what Suzuri has presented is the pure truth. Among them, are the Ember Island Players' top producers who had, a month prior, performed extensive research concerning the Avatar and his group and claim that they already knew of the Avatar's sexuality. 'But despite our intelligence concerning the Avatar's sexual preferences, his little tryst with the newest Fire Lord does indeed come as a great surprise.' The producers of The Boy In The Iceberg claim. _

_However, if the rumors are true and there is, indeed, something between the Avatar and the Fire Lord, then the latter will be facing a lot of trouble since sodomy is strictly illegal in the Fire Nation._

A heavy silence followed and Zuko ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Where did you get this?" He muttered quietly to Aang.

"From his room." The air bender replied shortly as he glared at Sokka.

"You _knew_?" Zuko hissed angrily at the tribesman.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I just didn't want you to kil-" Sokka began to wail but was cut off as Zuko stood up.

"This play is affecting my political position back home! Do you even know how dangerous that is?" The fire bender yelled exasperatedly. "There are already hundreds of rebels and everyone is still unprepared for this new era and you keep THIS from me?" He said, his voice rising dangerously with each syllable.

"And they're all convinced I'M gay!" Aang wailed.

"I'm SORRY! It's not like I directed the play or something!" Sokka said defiantly.

"You should have told us earlier." Zuko hissed angrily.

"Come on, Zuko." Mai said suddenly as she sensed impending danger. "We'll figure this out. You just need to rest." She said, while glaring daggers at Sokka.

"REST?" Zuko and Aang yelled simultaneously.

"How the hell am I supposed to rest while hundreds of people are watching this play every hour?" He asked angrily.

"I have an idea!" Katara suddenly piped up as her eyes brightened.

"Oh! That's just so consoling." Zuko said bitingly.

"I'm trying to help you, you know." Katara answered scathingly, her jaw tightening as she glared at Zuko. The two stood there trying to stare each other down when Toph spoke.

"Your idea, Sugar Queen?" Toph reminded tiredly.

"Hmph." Katara said as she turned away from Zuko and towards Aang. "Anyway, I was thinking that we should go visit this Miyako lady. I mean, you're the Avatar. And Zuko's the Fire Lord. Put together, you both have enough influence to shut this play down." She suggested happily.

A short pause followed before Suki nodded vigorously. "Actually, that's a pretty good idea. And if that doesn't work, we'll just get the Earth King to pull some strings." She piped up.

"Great! Now let's all go to bed." Sokka said hastily as he sidled into his room.

"I'm going to kill you once this is over, Sokka." Zuko warned as he too, turned away and made his way to his room.

"It's settled then. We'll go see her in the morning. After all, how hard can it be to convince her?" Katara said with a grin.

If only she knew...

* * *

_To **YukinoKara, Lethe Albion, JessMess, Susan3**: Thank you all so much! ^_^ I hope this chapter sates your appetite xD  
To **Dee**: Don't like? Don't read. Though, CONGRATULATIONS! On being my first ever flamer XD_  
_To **Ahumatae**: Not at all, I appreciate all the criticism and fully intend to get the IC-ness going :D. But I just didn't write jealous Katara because honestly, I don't think she'd consider the possibility that Aang might be gay or even interested in Zuko since she knows that Aang adores her. No worries though, I do intend to write at least a bit from Katara's POV and that should show her development from completely clueless to jealous and suspicious :P As for the sitting together thing, xD I did mention that it was dark and even Aang was surprised that he ended up with Zuko :] Also, Zuko does hug Aang in the finale so I didn't think it would be that OOC. Lol, though, I do thank you for all the criticism xD Hope there's a considerable decrease of OOC-ness in this chapter._

_Mwahaha, I can't wait to write Miyako Suzuri XD  
Anyway, lol, hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review!_

_-Jade258_


	3. Part III: The Challenge

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

_Enjoy! And don't forget to review!_

* * *

**Part III  
The Challenge**

The following morning, Aang woke up just as the sun was lighting up the horizon. For some reason, he was excited and after lying there for about ten minutes, he finally pushed the sheets off his body and trudged out of his room. Usually around this time, Zuko would be up too and they had breakfast together before training a bit. Today, however, instead of being in the kitchen, the fire bender was sitting on the couch, a letter clutched in his hand and files strewn across the table. He looked worried.

"Morning, Sifu Hotman." Aang said in between yawns.

"Don't call me that." Zuko muttered, more out of habit than actual disdain for the nickname.

Aang found himself smiling wryly and once he had hurriedly grabbed a glass of water from the kitchen, he went over and sat beside the fire bender. "What have you got there?" The air bender said as he handed the glass to Zuko.

The fire bender looked up at him, as if surprised by the gesture but took the glass nonetheless. "I wrote to Uncle last night. About our...ah, situation." Zuko said, possessing enough decency to pretend not to notice as Aang's pale skin flushed with color.

"Oh." The air bender mumbled as he looked away.

A few seconds passed in silence before Zuko realized that he hadn't finished his sentence. "So, uh, he wrote back." The fire bender added as he held up the parchment.

"What does it say?" Aang asked as he leaned back into the couch.

"You don't want to know." Zuko said with a grin, as he placed the glass of water onto the table.

"Why! Tell me." Aang said eagerly.

Chuckling, Zuko relented. "Well, he says that he absolutely loved the play, even though he thinks that the portrayals were just a little bit out of character." He said and scoffed.

"Little bit?" Aang asked exasperatedly.

"He's just kidding, Aang. Although, I think that he really did like it. Maybe he thinks its true, you know, after all those years I spent chasing you. It might easily have looked like I was obsessed with you." Zuko said with a grin.

"Uh, Zuko?" Aang asked tentatively.

"Hm?"

"You _are_ obsessed with me." The air bender said and to his surprise, Zuko chuckled.

"Was, Aang. I was obsessed with you." He pointed out.

Sensing that Aang was embarrassed, Zuko let it go and instead, looked at the dossier on the latest Fire Nation rebel group that had sprung up. A few minutes passed in silence, with only the sounds of rustling paper and slow breathing occupying the room. Seemingly unable to take it any longer, Zuko set down the file and turned to Aang.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked, almost nervously.

"Sure." He said, somewhat warily.

"Why did the play bother you so much?" Zuko asked bluntly.

Aang stared at him for several seconds and when he did not reply, the fire bender continued. "I mean, it bothered me because my position as Fire Lord is being affected back home. But you seemed..." Zuko said and trailed off as he searched for the right word.

"I suppose because..." Aang began uncertainly. "Because I respect you, Zuko. And I would never act like such a..." He said, knowing the word but not wanting to say it.

"Slut?" Zuko offered with a grin and the air bender nodded vigorously.

"Especially with you. Besides, you're four years older. It would be weird." Aang said.

Awkward pause.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Zuko wondered, truly befuddled.

"What is what supposed to mean?" Aang echoed.

"You said that it would be weird. Like you actually considered being with me." Zuko said, his eyes widening in amazement as he stared at Aang.

"WHAT?" Aang yelled. "Why would I ever even consider that? You're a guy!"

"Wow, Aang." Zuko said with a teasing grin.

"Shut up, would you? I'm still the avatar." Aang said threateningly, even though the effect was ruined as he uncomfortably shuffled away from Zuko.

"Yeah, but you won't hurt me. Because you respect me and actually considered me boyfriend material." Zuko said and cackled in a rather uncharacteristic way.

_THUMP!_

"OW!" Zuko exclaimed in surprise as Aang's hand collided solidly with the side of his face.

"Don't be an idiot!" Aang yelled and Zuko's eyes widened comically as the air bender's brow furrowed in rage.

"Aang." Zuko breathed in mild surprise as he let his arm fall to his side and shuffled closer to the air bender. "I'm sor-" He began but Aang stood up and stomped off towards the kitchen.

"No, wait!" He exclaimed as he stumbled after Aang and managed to get a hold of his wrist. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize it would upset you that much." Zuko said hurriedly, tightening his grip around Aang's wrist as he struggled.

"Yeah, well, it did." Aang said bitingly and the fire bender drew back at the uncharacteristic scowl on the air bender's face.

"What- what's wrong?" Zuko asked worriedly.

"You are!" Aang spat out angrily and wrenched himself free of Zuko's grip.

"HEY!" The fire bender yelled as he violently grabbed Aang's forearm and pushed him against the wall. "What did I ever do to you?" He retorted angrily.

"A lot of things, actuall-" Aang was shouting when the door to their left suddenly slid open and Toph stepped out, looking annoyed.

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP ALREADY? IT'S BARELY SIX IN THE MORNING SO IF YOU WANNA HAVE ANGRY SEX, GO DO IT SOMEWHERE ELSE!" She hollered as she stomped her foot on the ground.

"ANGRY SEX?" Aang spluttered angrily.

"What the hell is going on here?" Katara's voice called out from her bedroom as she slid open the door and stepped out.

"Twinkles and Sparky are having angry sex." Toph said with a snide grin.

"We are NOT having sex." Zuko hollered angrily as he let go of Aang and stepped away.

"Sure sounded like it." Toph retorted.

"Great spirits, you all are insane." Zuko said exasperatedly as he stomped back over to the couch.

He hurriedly gathered up his files, sidling into his room and glaring one last time at Aang before sliding the door shut.

* * *

There were three hours left till noon and Zuko had resorted to hiding in his room while Sokka and Suki went looking for Miyako Suzuri's address and Mai and Toph went to get lunch for them. So there he was, sitting comfortably with his back resting against his door and the files spread all around him when he heard hushed whispers in the living room.

The first thing that registered to his mind was that it was Katara's voice. Secondly, that if she wanted to have a conspiratorial conversation, she had picked the single most dumbest place in the whole of Ba Sing Se. Smiling wryly at the thought, Zuko slowly slid open the door just a fraction so that he could hear the voices more clearly.

"What was Zuko man-handling you for?" Katara asked accusingly and the fire bender's interest merely tingled as he realized that she was talking to Aang.

"Katara, he wasn't man-handling me." Aang said, sounding bored.

"He had you pushed up against the wall." Katara pointed out snidely.

"So?" Aang asked.

"What do you mean _so_?" Katara asked, her voice rising in pitch as she grew more indignant. "The play is obviously giving him ideas."

Outraged, Zuko's brows furrowed as he gritted his teeth. _How dare she?_

"What do you mean?" Aang asked in puzzlement. Oh spirits, was he really going to listen to that sick-minded water bender?

"Oh, Aang. You're so naive." She said, her voice laced with a kindness that made Zuko want to throw up. "You see, in the play, you were the one who made the first move so now he probably thinks that you're attracted to him." Katara said.

Inside his room, Zuko fumed. _That bitch. How daft does she think I am?_

"Don't be silly, Katara. Why would Zuko ever think such a thing?" Aang said with a small laugh. _Yes!_ Zuko thought, resisting the urge to punch the air as he grinned.

"Look, Aang. Let me explain it to you." Katara said but all Zuko heard was '_Come here, Aang. Let me brainwash you.'_

"Uh, okay." He said and he heard the clatter of chairs as they both sat down at the table.

"You see, Zuko chased you everywhere for a whole year. At the Western Air Temple, he even admitted that you were his drive. I mean, don't you think it would take a lot of determination to pursue someone that relentlessly all over the world?" Katara said, as if she were talking to a child.

"Yeah, but we all know he just wanted to go back to the Fire Nation." Aang said.

"Maybe so." Katara said and Zuko wanted to stomp out there and rip that bitch's head off. _What does she mean 'maybe so'? I put my heart and soul into trying to capture Aang. _He thought venomously, hating how she spoke as if she knew what she was talking about. "But he was still obsessed with you." She reasoned.

Zuko didn't hear the rest of the conversation because, still fuming, he slammed the door shut and pushed aside the files on the floor. He got to his feet and with a scowl on his face, flopped onto his bed.

* * *

Half an hour later, lunch finally arrived and Aang gratefully sat down at the table when Zuko emerged from his room. Katara was already seated beside the air bender, along with Toph, Mai, Sokka and Suki. Everyone's head turned as Zuko violently pulled back his chair with a clatter and heavily sat down.

"What's up, firecracker?" Toph asked, with her mouth full of food.

"Nothing." He said, his gaze stubbornly fixed on his plate.

"Liar." She sighed but did not ask any questions and continued eating.

Once the table was silent and the only sounds were those of chopsticks scraping against the bowls, Zuko finally looked up. Only to see Aang sneaking glances at him every now and then, as if the air bender was trying to size him up. Zuko merely glared harder and something in his gaze must have alerted Aang, because he suddenly paled.

_Oh Spirits! He heard our conversation._

Aang thought desperately as their gazes met from across the table. Zuko looked positively murderous as his gaze flickered towards Katara before resting on him. The air bender couldn't grasp just why he was so terrified.

His hand shook as he ducked his head and looked down at his plate but Katara noticed and her hand slowly slid over his. However, as Aang glanced up, he saw that she was grinning snidely at Zuko instead of looking at him. Annoyed, the air bender snatched his hand away and ignoring Katara's alarmed look, looked almost shyly up at Zuko.

But try as hard as he might, Aang just couldn't figure out why, when the corner of Zuko's lips twitched and his eyes clouded with an almost predatory smugness, he felt a rush of happiness which made him want to laugh.

"So, did you guys find Suzuri's address?" Mai drawled, suddenly shattering Aang's train of thought and forcing him to concentrate.

"Oh yeah!" Sokka said with a grin. "She lives in the Upper Ring, not far from here. We should get going soon." He said.

"We?" Zuko asked as he looked at Sokka with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah." Sokka said

"Are we all going?" He asked, his golden eyes disdainfully flickering towards Katara.

"Um, yeah. Aren't we?" Sokka said, somewhat unnerved by Zuko's coldness.

"I don't think we all should go." Aang piped up suddenly.

"Why?" Sokka and Toph asked in unison.

"Well, let's face it. If there's all seven of us, she might be overwhelmed and think that we were threatening her." He said reasonably.

"That makes sense, I suppose. So who'll go?" Sokka asked as he popped a rice ball into his mouth.

"I'll go with you two." Katara said sweetly and then gold and blue melded in undisguised dislike and distrust. Great Spirits, how annoying could she get?

"Sure." Zuko drawled slowly, his lips curving into a smirk as he stared Katara down.

He didn't know what he was fighting her over. But after she had practically insulted him earlier, there was no way he was going to lose to her.

Across from them, Aang couldn't suppress his sense of impending danger. He had a feeling that this was going to get messy.


	4. Part IV: Miyako Suzuri

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part IV  
Miyako Suzuri**

Zuko's lithe fingers swiftly worked on the sash of his robes and once it was tied securely around his waist, he stepped back and glanced at himself in the mirror. He didn't even know why he was making such an effort for this Miyako lady but he was determined to make her shut down the play. Maybe if that happened, Katara would shut up as well, and leave both him and Aang alone.

A tired sigh escaped his lips and without wasting anymore time, Zuko slid open the door and stepped out into the living room. At once, he could see that other than running a comb through his hair, Katara had done nothing at all to make herself seem more approachable and Aang was no different.

"Ready?" Zuko asked quietly as he studied the two's expressions.

Aang looked positively demented while Katara stood there, whispering reassurances into his ear. However, they did not seem to be working and instead, the air bender looked even more queasy than before.

"Uh, yeah." Aang said and before Katara could say anything else to him, he hurriedly made his way to the door, just as Zuko slid it open.

The fire bender looked down at Aang and felt his lips curving into a reassuring smile as he sensed the air bender's nervousness. Zuko could have sworn he saw Aang's lips twitch but couldn't have been sure, since at that moment, Katara chose to shove the air bender towards the door.

Resisting the urge to glare at Katara, Zuko followed th two out before shutting the door behind him.

"I was wondering..." Katara said thoughtfully as they stepped into the evening sunshine and made their way towards Miyako's house. "Why didn't you bring Mai, Zuko? Wouldn't that have been more convincing than coming alone?" She pointed out.

Zuko's intense gaze, at once, shot up to Katara's face and he didn't know why the question made him so angry.

"Zuko said that he didn't want to appear too obvious or desperate by hauling Mai along and trying to convince her that we're not gay. He says that we should make Miyako think we're in control, even though we might not be." Aang piped up as he sensed danger.

Zuko's harsh gaze did not move from Katara's and the water bender did not fail to notice as Aang lightly squeezed the fire bender's forearm, almost comfortingly. Zuko, at once, looked away and towards the horizon, quickening his step so as to stay as far away from Katara as possible.

Or else, he was afraid he might do something truly violent.

* * *

"WOW!" Aang cried as they finally beheld Miyako Suzuri's lavish residence. Surrounded by gardens that seemed to go on forever, the house in of itself was not all that large but very skillfully designed. "That's not a house! It's a whole estate!"

"Come on, let's go." Katara said as she set out at a brisk pace towards the entrance of the house.

"Wait, we're not going to get in that easily!" Zuko said as she reached the door and began to pull on it. "Honestly." He grumbled as he lightly nudged her aside and placed three, sound knocks on the door.

It at once, flung open and a young man, in his twenties, stepped into view. He surveyed them for several seconds, his eyes flickering from Aang's tattoos, to Zuko's scar and then Katara's Water Tribe attire.

"I apologize, sirs and lady, but Miss Miyako is somewhat occupied for today. Please state your names and statuses and I shall see if you have an appointment." He drawled, almost robotically.

"We do not have an appointment." Zuko said and sighed, almost tiredly, as the man moved to shut the door in his face.

However, before the door could even swing an inch, Zuko slammed his hand onto it and kept it firmly in place. "How about you run off and tell your Lady Miyako that the Fire Lord and Avatar are here to see her." He said coldly.

The man_,_ who had let out a loud _eek_ when Zuko's hand slammed against the door, seemed to lose even more of his composure as he looked up into the fire bender's burning eyes. They stood there for several minutes, almost nose-to-nose, until the man finally seemed to get a hold of himself.

"Ah, royalty, I see. I suppose my mistress can make an exception. However, she does not give up her precious time for just anyone. It is for this reason, that I cannot allow this young lady to pass." He said as he looked Katara from head to toe.

"Why?" She burst out indignantly.

"What status do you hold?" The man asked and when he received no reply, he smiled wryly. "I thought so. Please follow me all three of you." He said as he quietly entered the house.

"Ryoko!" The man called as soon as he had flung the door shut. "Take this lady into the living room and offer her some refreshments." He said and then gestured for Aang and Zuko to follow him.

As they climbed up the huge spiraling stairwell, the fire bender couldn't help but feel just a little smug as he thought of Katara, sitting in the living room. Maybe the thought was a little cruel, but after all that she had said in her conversation with Aang, Zuko was not in the mood for being particularly merciful.

This would teach her that Aang was not her property.

"This is the mistress's study. Try not to waste her time." The man said as they halted in front of highly polished double doors with brass knockers.

Aang glanced nervously at Zuko but the fire bender merely shot him a reassuring smile and pushed open the doors.

The first thing that registered to him was that the room was painfully bright. Floor-to-ceiling windows on the eastern wall allowed light to flit into the room and the wooden floor was alight with patches of sunlight. In the very middle of the room, perched on a mat was the woman that they had come to meet.

She seemed regal and once they had taken a few steps forward, they saw that she was beautiful, with aristocratic cheekbones and piercing green eyes. Wavy brown hair flowed down past her shoulders and she was dressed in robes of deep blue.

And even though, she couldn't have been more than twenty-five years of age, Aang found her to be incredibly imposing.

"Oh my! Rarely do such great guests humble me with their presence." She said as she gestured for them to sit on a mat across from her.

The two bowed and then brought their palms against their fists in the traditional Fire Nation greeting. Miyako merely nodded in acknowledgement and Aang wondered just how she could act like it was a daily occurrence that the Fire Lord and the Avatar showed up on her doorstep.

"I get the feeling that you're here for a lot more than just a cup of tea." She said with a smirk, as they took a seat.

Zuko opened his mouth to speak but before he had even spoken a word, Aang burst out. "Your play is publicly humiliating me and affecting Zuko's position as Fire Lord back home. Zuko and I aren't gay so I demand that you shut your play down!" Aang screeched nervously.

An awkward pause followed and Zuko smacked his hand against his own forehead while Miyako merely burst out laughing.

"Hey! Don't laugh at me!" He said seriously.

But the words had no effect on her and she laughed even harder.

"Aang, how about you let me handle this, okay?" Zuko said through gritted teeth.

Aang frowned and then hesitantly nodded. Satisfied, Zuko turned towards Miyako once again, only to see that she had stopped laughing and was surveying them like a hawk.

Zuko had to resist the urge to hit Aang as the air bender's face flushed with color under Miyako's scrutiny.

"How intriguing." She drawled, with an almost feral grin on her lips.

Zuko ignored the comment and spoke. "Yes, as it turns out, I am here for a lot more than just a cup of te-" Zuko began but was cut off as Miyako spoke.

"I think this is really quite interesting." She said absentmindedly.

"Huh?" Zuko echoed dumbly.

"You. And him." She said with a smirk. "He seems to listen to you, for some reason. Is it because you intimidate him? Or because he feels obliged to listen to you? I wonder why." She said and her eyes gleamed.

Aang glanced at Zuko and the fire bender shot him a look which obviously meant '_Shut up and sit still.' _The air bender obliged and his grey eyes nervously darted between Miyako and Zuko as he waited for one of them to speak.

"I don't think you two realize just how thrilling an experience this is for me. I do plays which show people in a bad light. If they are true or not doesn't matter at all." She said with a grin. "I've disgraced a lot of people and almost all of them have come running to me, demanding me to stop it. Threatening me and such. But you see, there's always a secret. Everyone has a secret. Even you, Avatar Aang." She said and turned her piercing gaze towards Aang.

"Don't. She's just playing you." Zuko said, not even bothering to lower his voice as he stared at Miyako, his eyes burning with distaste.

Miyako laughed in response. "You're a clever one, no?" She said with a smirk. "But you two are sweet so I'll make you a deal." She said, smirking as Zuko drew himself up in indignation. "If you can make a sizable impression on the public and me and make us consider that you might really not be gay, then I'll shut down the play and admit defeat." She said nonchalantly.

Zuko frowned as he looked suspiciously at Miyako and several minutes passed in silence before he spoke up. "And if we don't?"

"Then the play goes on and eventually, I'm going to introduce it into my other theaters across the Earth Kingdom." She said with a smirk.

"And what's to say that if we win and you back down, the newspapers won't stop?" Zuko demanded.

"Oh, Fire Lord Zuko, no gossip lasts for ever. But if you'd rather prefer for it to end quickly once and _if_ you win, then I think that all three of us have enough influence to make them stop." She offered with a smile.

"Okay, you have a deal!" Aang said suddenly.

"Aang!" Zuko said reproachfully but the air bender had already shook hands with her and stood up.

"I'll send you a contract to sign. After all, we're professionals, are we not?" She said with a smirk.

"Sure." Zuko said through gritted teeth.

"Oh and remember, you have only a fortnight. So, you might want to work fast." She said and before they knew it, a servant arrived and began to lead them out of the house.

* * *

It was only once the two had left Miyako's chambers that the door slid open and the man who had led Zuko and Aang into the room entered.

"Do you reckon they'll be able to do it?" He asked.

"Of course not, Kenji. This is me we're talking about." She said with a gracious smile.

"How do you intend to go about doing this?" Kenji asked.

"Oh, they have chemistry and the Avatar seems to adore the Fire Lord while the latter is somewhat protective of him. This'll only make it easier, you see." She said with a smirk. "Besides, I think I have a lot of nice ideas for our little friends.

"Don't worry, Kenji. This game will be over before they even realize it. I don't intend to lose to a bunch of children." She said with a grin.

* * *

_:O Evil Miyako! xD_

___To **black sulpher**: The secret is..to have no life :P Lol, its the summers and besides, I've got a lot of passion for this story xD As for triangles, you'll just have to wait and see xD  
To **suzaku009**: Lol, thank you! ^_^_

___Hope you all enjoy this chapter, don't forget to review! :D I have a feeling the upcoming chapters will be quite interesting xD_

___-Jade258_


	5. Part V: The First Blow

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part V  
The First Blow**

_knock knock knock_

Was the sound that Zuko heard, insistent and rapid, on the door to their apartment. At once, he jerked upright and realized that he had drifted off while surveying the contract that Miyako had sent. One glance towards the window told him that the sun had fully risen into the sky and muttering darkly under his breath, he stood up and made his way towards the door. He yawned widely and slid the door open, coming face to face with a fair-haired man.

"Good Morning, Fire Lord Zuko!" He cried enthusiastically.

"Who is it?" A voice called from behind him and Zuko glanced to see that it was Aang, poking his head out the kitchen. He just shrugged his shoulders in reply.

"Good Morning." Zuko replied. "You are?"

"Oh, I work at your uncle's teashop and he was so eager for you to try out his newest brews that he just couldn't wait and told me to drop these off at your house." The man said with a huge smile. "Call me Kenji."

"I don't think I've seen you before." Zuko said, somewhat warily.

"Oh, your uncle's business has expanded since the last time you visited, Fire Lord. He has employed several new servants to help him around the shop." Kenji said with a smile.

Zuko and Aang exchanged a glance and the air bender shrugged in reply as he came to stand beside him. "Come in."

With a large smile, Kenji entered and placed a cardboard box onto the table. "Let us hurry. The tea is getting cold." He said jovially.

"How many samples did Uncle send?" Zuko asked as the three sat down at the table.

"Only two, I'm afraid. One for his nephew and one for the Avatar." Kenji said with an apologetic smile.

"Call me Aang." The air bender said brightly.

"Certainly. Now, drink up." Kenji said as he popped open the box and placed the two covered tea-cups in front of them.

Zuko uncovered it and raised it to his lips, inconspicuously sniffing the brew. "Oh relax, Zuko. If anyone wanted to poison you, they wouldn't have bothered to show their faces." Aang said as if it were the most natural thing to be talking about assassination attempts on his best friend.

"Suppose so." Zuko said and without another word, downed the scalding contents.

Aang did the same and they sat like that, for a few minutes before several things occured to him. One, that he had seen this man before except that, he had had brown hair then. Second, that Iroh's tea had never tasted so bland. It was rich. Practically bursting with rich flavor. But this...

"Zuko." He attempted to say but his voice came out slurred and the next thing he knew, his vision seemed to blur and thin, black clouding the edges. He tried to speak once again, but he didn't seem to have any control over his body.

The last thing that registered to his mind, just before he blacked out, was the sound of heavy footfalls on the wooden floors and then, only the distinct presence of Zuko's warmth.

* * *

He was light-headed. Very, very light-headed.

He was aware of a hard surface beneath his head, earth, if he was correct in assuming. Or maybe metal.

He could hear the most shallowest of breathing from his right.

Crunching gravel. Creaking wood.

A carriage.

Distant voices too.

And a source of warmth from his right.

"Zuko!" Aang burst out, although his voice again came out slurred. He received no reply. "Zuko." He said, louder this time and finally forced his eyes open.

"You're awake." He said weakly, lying in the same position as him.

"It was Miyako's butler person, wasn't it? That Kenji." Aang said, managing to infuse just the slightest bit of strength into his voice.

"Shhh." Zuko merely breathed and the air bender painfully turned his head to look at him.

A few seconds passed in silence and Aang's hand cautiously slid down to Zuko's, his fingers checking for his pulse. He only felt the most lightest of throbbing before the fire bender turned his hand and grasped Aang's wrist in his hand.

"They gave me a larger dose. I can barely feel anything." He said tiredly.

"It's going to be okay." Aang said with a strained smile.

"They underestimated you." Zuko said, with a wheezing sound that the air bender interpreted as a laugh. "They didn't think you'd be able to take the amount that they gave you."

Aang merely smiled wryly and turned his head to look up at the rattling ceiling. A few minutes passed in silence before the fire bender spoke. "Aang." Zuko said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Hm." The air bender hummed in reply.

"Have you heard of spagyrists?" He asked weakly.

Aang's brow furrowed in confusion and a few seconds passed before he spoke. "No. What are they?"

"They're alchemists. Potion-makers. They're incredibly skilled and mostly, they just find remedies for diseases." Zuko murmured and Aang had to lean closer to hear what he was saying. "They've given us both sedatives but they make other brews too. Those which affect parts of your brain and make you feel...things." He said huskily.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked, somewhat worried.

"Once the sedative starts to wear off, Aang, I'd suggest that you stay away from me." Zuko muttered quietly.

"Why?" The air bender demanded.

"I...can't explain it." He said and managed to turn his head away.

However, Aang didn't miss the flush tainting his pale skin and frowned. "You're lying. Tell me the truth, Zuko."

The fire bender scowled and turned his head to look at Aang again. "How do you feel when you're near Katara, Aang?" He asked suddenly.

The air bender's brow furrowed in puzzlement and he shrugged. "I can't really explain it. It's a whole mixture of..." He began but trailed off as his eyes widened in horror.

"Let's just say that that is what I'm feeling right now. The urge is only mild for now, but once its effect strengthens, the need will become more...raw. Trust me, you don't want to be anywhere near me when the sedative wears off." Zuko said bitterly.

"But I can restrain you." Aang said stubbornly.

"No!" Zuko said loudly. "You shouldn't try to bend in this condition. It might backfire." He said warningly.

"But-" Aang began but as the door swung open and two people entered, he fell silent.

"Well, this is nice." Miyako said as she looked down at their inter-linked hands. Aang winced as Zuko squeezed his hand hard, as if trying to contain himself, and then let go.

"Come on, Kenji. Let's give this one another dose. He doesn't seem to be reacting to the first one." She said to the man beside her.

"Yes, mistress." He said and scurried to kneel beside Zuko. He produced a vial from his robes and proceeded to tilt Zuko's head back.

"HEY! Stop that! Get away from him." Aang said loudly but they paid him no heed.

"That's sweet, tyke, but how about you shut up?" Miyako said with a smile.

Aang scowled darkly at the woman but she merely smiled sweetly and then turned to talk to someone else outside the coach. "Come on. Let's get these two out of here. Kenji, take the small one. You, take the bigger one." She instructed and then hopped out the carriage.

"Don't worry, boys. You'll enjoy it once you start ignoring your conscience." Miyako said before disappearing from view. Aang didn't even want to know what she was talking about.

A hulking man loomed into sight and once Kenji was done forcing the contents down Zuko's throat, he hauled up the fire bender and slung him across his shoulder. "Come on, then." Kenji said as he picked up Aang and then followed the other man.

Through the semi-darkness of the night, Aang noticed that they were heading for a small, three-story building with a large banner on top. In his disoriented state, he was unable to read the words painted on it.

After a few minutes, they halted and Kenji shuffled over to the larger man. "Give this to him." He said as he pulled out another vial and gestured towards Zuko.

"What are you giving him?" Aang demanded as they tipped the contents down Zuko's throat.

"An anti-dote to the sedative. It'll speed things up nicely." Kenji said with a grin.

* * *

Aang almost yelled as the sound of bursting music invaded his ears and beside him, Zuko groaned painfully. The two men had dropped them off at the back of the building and when they had stumbled their way to the front room, they saw that it was a bar cum club.

Beside him, Zuko's system seemed to be responding more violently to the sound and his eyes were scrunched up tight as he groaned in pain and annoyance.

"Zuko." Aang managed to say through the confusion hazing his mind. "ZUKO!" He yelled into his ear.

The fire bender jerked up right, and his eyes shot open as he looked at Aang, like he was seeing him for the first time. His warning was still fresh in the air bender's mind and he didn't even want to put a name to the way his eyes were roving over Aang's features.

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Aang said quietly but the fire bender seemed to have other things in mind.

"No, we should get a few drinks so that it can drown out the thing they gave me." Zuko managed to say as he leaned heavily on Aang.

The air bender frowned but began to haul Zuko over to the bar, nonetheless. "I doubt that alcohol will be able to stop it, Zuko. Miyako's not stupid." Aang muttered softly.

"Look, Aang. I'm not really in the mood of raping you. So just get me over to that bar before it takes effect." Zuko hissed angrily.

Stung, the air bender drew back and scowling, sat Zuko down on a chair. The fire bender's head slumped forward onto the counter top and Aang worriedly glanced around before turning to the bartender.

"Uh, the strongest thing you've got?" Aang ventured and the bartender grunted in acknowledgement.

Somehow, he didn't even seem to notice that the air bender was a minor and he wondered if Miyako was bribing everyone in that room. But before he could ponder any more on it, a hand grazed across his waist and he yelped.

"Aang, are you an idiot?" Zuko murmured as he sat up.

"Uh, no?" The air bender said as he glanced down at the arm which was encircling his waist.

"Well, I think you are. We've been in this room for ten whole minutes and you've still failed to notice something." Zuko muttered.

"What's that?"

"Firstly, that there is no way we're getting out of here since the door is guarded by two very large men. And second that this is a gay bar." He said, smiling wryly as he saw Aang blanch. "Stay close, unless you want these men making passes at you." He said warily.

"But you told me to stay away..." Aang almost whined.

"It's either me or them." He said and before Aang could process this information, the bartender set the drink in front of Zuko and the fire bender hurriedly downed it.

"What the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?" Aang demanded angrily.

"You'll realize that some of these men will be incredibly insistent. And I might not be able to control myself." Zuko said, an almost feral grin curving his lips upwards as he gazed at Aang.

"You're not being very helpful, Zuko!" He cried desperately.

The fire bender merely chuckled, but it sounded somewhat bitter. "Aang, we're not getting out of this situation. We're both too disoriented to use our bending. And there's yet _another _thing you haven't noticed."

"Now what?" Aang said tiredly.

"See those two over there, in that corner." Zuko said as he gazed steadily at two men, dressed in casual robes and seated at a table across from each other.

"What about them?" Aang asked.

"You tell me." The fire bender said, his jaw tightening with disdain as he glared at the two.

Aang's brow furrowed in puzzlement as he let his gaze slide to the two men and his grey eyes studied them intently. One looked to be somewhere in his thirties while the other was much younger. However, there were several things they had in common. They were both shrewd looking, both their eyes were fixed on Zuko and Aang and both of them - rather conspicuously - clutched parchment and quills in their hands.

Oh no.

"But they can't be..."

"Journalists." Zuko said darkly.

"Why aren't you panicking?" He demanded as he glared at Zuko.

"Because it's no use. We're done for." The fire bender said and Aang was vaguely aware of his grip tightening around his waist.

"Zuko?" The air bender asked as he turned his head to look at him.

"You can kill me later." Zuko murmured and before Aang could even move a limb, he had captured the air bender's lips in a sultry, open-mouthed kiss.

* * *

_So, there! x]_

_I hope the set-up didn't turn out to be long-winded but lol, I couldn't resist [and also, couldn't think of anything else xP]  
To **Skyeh**: Yesss, lol, lots of Katara-bashing to come...All of it from Zuko xD  
__Lol, thanks for all the reviews ^_^ I demand that you do not stop xP_

_Hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review! :D_

_-Jade258_


	6. Part VI: The Consequence

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part VI  
The Consequence**

_12 hours earlier..._

"Guys, have any of you seen Zuko or Aang?" Suki asked as she set the table with bowls and chopsticks.

"Aren't they in their rooms?" Sokka asked as he looked up from his sword-cleaning.

"Of course not, Snoozles. Zuko and Aang haven't been in the house ever since we woke up." Toph said nonchalantly.

"Then why didn't you tell us?" Suki demanded as she turned to face Toph.

"I figured they were out training and took longer than usual." The earth bender said with a shrug.

The kitchen door swung open and Katara entered, balancing a steaming pot in her hands. She set it down on the table with a grin and then turned to call them for breakfast. However, one look at Suki's frown made her reconsider.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Zuko and Aang aren't home yet." Suki said with a frown.

"Are you sure?" Katara asked, as her brow furrowed in puzzlement.

"Positive." She said as she sunk her teeth into her bottom lip.

"I suppose we'll just have to wait. I'm sure they're not far. Aang just probably took Zuko to see some restaurant or something. Don't worry." Katara said with a strained smile.

Suki and Sokka seemed to consider it and then shrugged. "I suppose." The tribesman said.

"Come on, you guys. Let's just have breakfast. Sokka, call Mai to the table." Katara said as she pulled out her chair and sat down.

Suki sidled into the kitchen to wash her hands while Toph plopped down into her chair at the table. The earth bender took advantage of their solitude and at once, turned to Katara. She tilted her head to the right and the water bender frowned under her scrutiny.

"You're worried." Toph said matter-of-factly.

"Shouldn't I be?" Katara asked defiantly.

"You should be. It's only that you were the one giving the 'don't-worry' speech." Toph said bluntly. "What's wrong, Sugar Queen?"

"Nothing." Katara said with a frown.

"Wow, I don't even need to use my feet to know _that's_ a lie. What? Are you worried Zuko's going to jump Aang or something?" Toph said with a grin.

"What? No. What would make you think such a thing?" Katara said defiantly.

"Another lie. And I've been feeling your heartbeat speed every time Zuko's anywhere near Aang." Toph said with a smug grin.

"So?" Katara said nonchalantly, even though she knew that Toph had her all figured out.

A few seconds passed in silence before the earth bender burst out laughing. "Oh, come on, Katara. You're jealous of Sparky and Twinkles? That is probably the lamest thing ever."

"Why? I can be jealous of them." Katara burst out indignantly before reconsidering her words and mentally kicking herself.

"Now, that is just _sad_, Sugar Queen. I mean, sure, Aang had a little school-boy crush on Zuko in the Western Air Temple, but that's long gone. Trust me, I would kn-"

"What?" Katara snapped shrewdly as she processed the newest snippet of information.

Toph's sightless eyes widened at Katara's eagerness and a few seconds passed in silence, before she shook her head somewhat tiredly. "You're so insecure, it's not even cute." She muttered darkly, just as Sokka and Suki entered the room.

* * *

_Presently..._

As the clouds of drowsiness around Aang's mind began to recede, he realized that he was in a bed. A soft, warm blanket cradled his form and his head rested on a fluffy pillow. The bed was so ridiculously comfortable that he felt compelled to shuffle even further into it. A content sigh slipped through his lips as silken sheets grazed against his bare skin and he rolled over onto his side.

But then, he was forced to reconsider his thoughts and...

_bare skin?_

The air bender's eyes shot open and his breath caught in his throat as he looked down to his midsection, which was trapped underneath a muscled arm. His grey eyes travelled almost hesitantly up to the person to whom it belonged, even though he didn't need to look.

The signature warmth. The muscled arm he had seen a hundred times during practice.

But when he finally reached up to the face, he found a pair of golden eyes staring at him. Aang yelped and shot upright, causing the sheets to pool around his waist.

"You BASTARD!" Aang hollered as he turned around to face Zuko. "How could you do that to me?" He demanded angrily.

"Do what?" Zuko asked as he sat up as well.

Aang gritted his teeth and it took him a few seconds to regain his composure. However, when his gaze landed on Zuko again, he snapped and at once, lunged forward.

"YOU SLEPT WITH ME, YOU IDIOT! HOW COULD YOU STEAL MY INNOCENCE LIKE THAT? I WANTED MY FIRST TIME TO BE SPECIAL. NOT WITH A GUY. NOT WITH _YOU_!" Aang hollered as his small hands clutched Zuko's neck and he forced him onto his back.

"Aang! I vaguely recall telling YOU to STAY AWAY from me." Zuko yelled angrily as he struggled in the air bender's grip.

However, Aang merely held on even tighter, his jaw tightening with anger as he looked down at Zuko. "You could at least SOUND sorry." The air bender yelled in his face.

"Well, you could make it seem like you actually WANT me to apologize." Zuko snapped as he glared at Aang.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" The air bender hissed angrily.

"Oh, let's see. We're both naked, Aang. And you're pinning me to the bed and straddling me." Zuko said condescendingly.

"I'm _strangling_ you." Aang spat out angrily, even though the effect was quite ruined as his skin flushed red.

"Yeah, good luck with that." Zuko said angrily.

_THUMP!_

Zuko cried out in pain as Aang's fist collided with his left cheekbone before his hand slipped down to his neck, his grip tightening even more.

"Get off me." Zuko managed to say as he struggled to pry the air bender's hands off his neck.

Sheets crumpled and creased as the two wrestled on the bed, Zuko trying to get the nimble air bender off him, while struggling to breath. Small yells and cries of pain issued as Aang's fingers clawed at Zuko's pale skin and the fire bender retaliated. Both trying to get the upper hand. Until...

A lusty gasp echoed throughout the room and both of them froze. Pure, electric pleasure of the most unusual kind shot up Aang's spine and his back arched as his eyes slid shut.

Beneath him, Zuko's chest heaved as he looked up at the air bender in shock. The sight of Aang's eyes scrunched up tight in pure bliss sent the most distinct tingles of pleasure down to...ah, certain parts of his anatomy. They seemed to be suspended in the moment before Aang exhaled sharply and collapsed forward on his arms, his lips barely a centimeter away from Zuko's. His eyes slid open and his lips parted as he looked down at the fire bender. "What _was_ that?" He whispered shakily.

Zuko's cheeks flushed red and his mind eagerly pounced back to the sensation that had overwhelmed his own body as Aang had subconsciously ground his pelvis against the fire bender's.

The air bender looked down at him for a few more seconds before rolling off him and onto his back. The two looked up at the ceiling in mild shock and several minutes passed in silence before Aang spoke.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to look you in the eye again." Aang said as he sighed.

The fire bender didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry. Fortunately though, he didn't have to ponder for too long, since at that moment, the door slid open and Kenji and Miyako entered.

"Morning, boys." She said brightly, a smug expression on her face as her gaze roved over both of their flushed faces.

A torrent of rather colorful swearwords flowed from Zuko's mouth, making Kenji laugh and Aang flinch. "You didn't honor your deal!" Aang cried, once he had gotten over the slight discomfort caused by Zuko's obscene vocabulary.

"Of course, I didn't. I'm not typically the honorable kind of person. You should have figured as much when you came to visit me at the mansion." Miyako said with a grin.

Aang's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms across his chest like a stubborn child.

"But you need not worry, boys." Miyako said with a perverted wiggle of her eyebrows. "Because you didn't have sex."

This fact caused Aang to brighten up and he leaned forward, his eyes shining expectantly. "Really?" He exclaimed happily.

"Then, how do you explain us...here?" Zuko asked coldly.

"Oh, I just thought it would be funny to hear you two freak out." She said with a grin and beside her, Kenji burst out laughing. "Anyway, get dressed and hurry back to your friends. I'm sure they wouldn't want to hear about your little date from the newspaper." She said snidely as Kenji dumped their clothes onto the bed.

Zuko scowled angrily and beside him, Aang blanched as he remembered Katara. "Oh no." He groaned.

"I look forward to your retaliation, boys. Don't disappoint me." Miyako said liltingly as Kenji slid open the door and the two exited the room.

"That _witch_." Aang hissed as he stared at the spot where she had been standing mere seconds ago.

"Come on, let's hurry up. We've been gone for almost a whole day. The others will be worried." Zuko said as he flung the sheets off his body and snatched up his clothes.

Beside him, Aang flushed heavily and pointedly looked the other way as the fire bender changed.

"Aang, this is really not the time. Just get dressed." Zuko said, even though he could feel his cheeks heating up as well.

"Yeah, yeah." Aang mumbled as he picked up his clothes and began to pull them on.

* * *

Aang and Zuko, when they finally managed to find their way out of the building, realized that they were not far from their apartment. The sun was just beginning to rise over Ba Sing Se and the two sprinted back to the house.

By the time they finally reached it, the sky was streaked with oranges and yellows and Zuko hurriedly made his way across the front porch, stealthily sliding open the door when...

_THUMP!_

Aang slammed hard into his back and the two went crashing onto the floor of the living room. A few seconds passed in silence and Zuko vaguely registered another source of heat in the room when it suddenly began.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" Katara shrieked angrily as she stood up at once. "ITS BEEN A WHOLE DAY AND I'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK!" She screeched and Zuko clamped his hands over his ears.

Judging from the light thumps that issued next, the rest of the Gang came out of their rooms to witness the spectacle. Toph seemed to find the sight of Zuko on his stomach, sandwiched between Aang and the floor with Katara standing over them like a tyrant, incredibly hilarious.

When the dull sounds of Katara's yelling finally stopped, Zuko let his hands fall to the floor and began to push himself up. He could vaguely hear the sounds of Toph and Sokka laughing as Aang rolled off him and the two heaved themselves up into an upright position.

Despite the comfortable bed that they had been lying in, Zuko's bones still ached with weariness and the sudden sprint from the building, without any warm-up had left his legs aching just the slightest bit. This paired up with the sight of Katara standing there, looking at him like he was a uncouth little five year old, made his patience thin dangerously quickly.

"I can't believe you two! How could you be gone for a WHOLE day? Without even telling us?" Katara yelled as she stomped her foot on the ground.

Zuko sighed angrily and then turned away towards the door. "Come back here. I was talking to you."

"Oh, just stop, would you, Katara? You're _not_ my mother and I don't have to answer to you." Zuko snapped angrily as he slid the front door shut with a loud bang.

A tense silence fell and then Katara folded her arms across her chest and cocked an eyebrow. "Oh?" She replied. A stupid response, in Zuko's opinion.

"Yes. So, how about you stop your screeching for two seconds and listen to what we have to say?" Zuko said bitingly as he came to stand beside Aang.

A few more seconds passed in silence and Aang uncomfortably looked at the fire bender, who looked positively enraged to Katara, whose expression was stony. "Go on, then." She said icily.

However, at that moment, a light thump issued at the door and Sokka bounded towards it, eagerly sliding it open. Completely ignoring Katara's glare, he snatched up the newspaper lying on the porch and slid the door shut.

He turned around to face them but as he glanced once at the headline, all the color drained from his face and Zuko and Aang flinched.

"What is it?" Katara snapped angrily.

A few seconds passed before Sokka seemed to regain his composure and held up the newspaper. "Yeah, I don't think Zuko and Aang are gonna have to tell you about what they were doing for a whole day."

* * *

_Lol, I know, not a lot of detail concerning Aang and Zuko xD But there shall be some rather steamy flashbacks to come :P_

_Anyway, thank you so much for the reviews! xD  
__I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review! :]_

_-Jade258_


	7. Part VII: The Conquest

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part VII  
The Conquest **

_click click click_

Again and again Katara's nails met the wooden tabletop and with each click, Zuko's patience grew even thinner. Beside him, Aang looked like he was about to be executed and the fire bender hated how Katara was acting like a bloody tyrant. It had been an hour since the newspaper had arrived and after reading it, everyone had wisely sidled out of the room, leaving only Katara, Zuko, Aang and Toph (who had forced Sokka to make her some popcorn).

Aang and Zuko sat in front of the table, side by side and across from them sat Katara. On the couch, with her feet planted firmly on the ground in anticipation for the climax, was Toph.

"So, what you're saying is that Miyako Suzuri's butler kidnapped and drugged you, gave Zuko a love potion and then dumped you two in a gay bar where you incidentally happened to make out and two reporters conveniently saw it all?" She said slowly, as if trying to figure out an overly complicated math sum.

Aang and Zuko exchanged a glance and then nodded.

"I see. I see." She murmured and Zuko felt Aang bristle nervously.

A few more seconds passed in silence. Seconds turned into minutes and still nothing happened.

At last, Zuko, sick of it all, pushed back his chair and made a move to stand up. "Katara, it's been an hour. If you have nothing to say, can I go to sleep?" Zuko said, silently pleased with himself at having phrased the sentence so politely.

With a clatter, Katara pushed back her chair and swiftly side-stepped the table to stand in front of him. Beside him, Aang almost stopped breathing and Zuko got the feeling that he must have interpreted Katara's murderous expression better than he, himself, had.

_Smack!_

Katara's hand collided solidly with Zuko's cheek and beside them, Aang gasped.

"You bastard!" She hissed angrily. "I always knew you were a bad influence on Aang, but this! This is the limit. How dare you even lay a _finger_ on him?" She said, her voice rising with each word.

Jaw tight with anger and eyes burning with anger, Zuko pushed back his chair and stood up, towering a good few inches over Katara. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, Katara but I've laid a lot more than just a finger on Aang." He said snidely.

"ZUKO!" Aang spluttered angrily as his face flushed red.

But the two acted like he wasn't even there and continued onward as if they hadn't heard him.

"Stay. Away. From. Aang." Katara hissed angrily.

"He doesn't belong to you." Zuko spat out.

"Well, he doesn't belong to you either, so there." Katara said snidely.

"I was the one who left everything to join Aang, so if there's anyone who would have more right over him, it would be me."

"Yeah, right. Well, I'm his best friend _and_ his girlfriend. So you better stay away." Katara said as she poked Zuko hard in the chest.

"_Enough!_" Aang yelled, his grey eyes clouding with anger as he stood up as well.

"Stay out of this, Aan-" Zuko began but was cut off as the air bender turned on him.

"No, I will not stay out of it." Aang said loudly. "Because I'm not some object lying around, waiting to be claimed." He yelled. "You two are sick-minded. If the only reason you even bother to say anything to me is so that you can prove something to each other, then I'd rather that you didn't come near me at all." He yelled. His face was no longer the pure reflection of innocence and happiness but instead, contorted with rage and disappointment.

Before the two even had a change to say anything else, however, he turned on his heel and stalked into his room.

"Wow!" Toph exclaimed as soon as Aang had disappeared into his room. "You two really are pathetic." She said with a laugh.

Katara indignantly drew herself up but Zuko merely groaned as he covered his face with his hands. "I can't believe I just said that." He growled into his hands.

"I can." Katara said bitingly.

"Oh shut up, Sugar Queen. You're just as bad as he is, if not worse. At least he can blame his idiocy on a traumatic childhood. What's your excuse?" Toph drawled as she propped up her feet on the low table in front of the couch.

Zuko raised his head to look up at Toph in surprise but snickered as he saw Katara's dumbstruck expression. However, it slipped right off his face as she turned her fiery gaze towards him and glaring back at her, he stood up.

"I'm going to apologize." He said quietly as he side-stepped her and made his way toward Aang's room. He stopped in front of the door, stared at Katara as if daring her to stop him and when she did not react, slid open the door with a smirk.

As he turned his head to peek inside Aang's room, he saw that it was pitch-black, the window concealed behind thick bedsheets. Frowning, Zuko stepped inside and slid the door shut behind him.

"Aang." He said.

When he got no reply, Zuko frowned and waited for his eyes to accustom to the darkness. "Aang." He repeated. "Come on, answer me. I want to talk to you." He said softly.

"No one's stopping you." A voice spat in his ear and with a yell, Zuko stumbled backwards.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" The fire bender snapped angrily as he jerked his wrist forward and allowed a flame to spring to life in his palm.

"I think I'm entitled to have my phases. Just as you and Katara supposedly are." Aang said bitingly. "At least, I don't feign friendship."

Zuko frowned and moved closer to Aang who stepped away. "I wasn't feigning anything, Aang." He said, somewhat pleadingly.

"Am I some sort of game for you and Katara?" Aang spat out as he stomped over and plopped down onto the edge of his bed.

"No!" Zuko cried indignantly.

"I think I am. You were talking about me like...you're competing over me. Like it's a conquest." Aang said bitterly.

"Aang, come o-"

"I didn't expect anything like that from you of all people." Aang said, in a voice so steady and calm and..._disappointed_ that Zuko was forced to shut up.

Several minutes passed in silence and the fire bender felt his cheeks heat up with shame and embarrassment. At last, he managed to build up the courage and went over to sit beside Aang.

"How do you do that?" Zuko mumbled as he looked down at his feet.

The fire bender saw Aang's brow furrow in confusion in the candlelight. "Do what?" He echoed.

"Make me feel like scum with a single sentence." Zuko muttered gloomily.

However, the fire bender jerked out of his somber reverie as Aang's laughter suddenly echoed in the room. "I won't lie and say that I didn't intend to." He said with a wry smile. "And I won't apologize."

"I know and you shouldn't. I'm sorry." Zuko said and peeked at Aang out of the corner of his eyes.

"It's okay, I suppose." Aang said reluctantly. "Just please, stop competing with Katara." He said and then paused before uncertainly adding: "Because you two mean completely different things to me."

A smile curved Zuko's lips upwards and he turned his head to look at Aang. "How so?"

"Well..." Aang began and Zuko felt his curiosity tingling as a delicate blush bloomed on the air bender's cheeks. "Katara's my..." He paused and then coughed uncomfortably.

"Your what?" Zuko said with a teasing smile.

"My girlfriend." Aang said, glaring at the fire bender as he laughed.

"What about me?" Zuko asked with a grin.

"Well, you're, you know." Aang said with a shrug.

"No, I don't know." Zuko said, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.

"You're you." Aang said hastily.

"What's that?" Zuko prodded relentlessly.

Aang hesitated and then flushed under the fire bender's intense gaze. "You know!" He cried exasperatedly.

"The way you're blushing, I don't think Katara and I mean very different things to you." Zuko said teasingly.

Aang gasped and glared at Zuko. "Don't be an idiot or I'll blast you out of this room." He snapped, even though it was somewhat half-hearted.

Chuckling, Zuko held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I believe you."

A small _hmph_ followed and Aang defiantly crossed his arms across his chest. "You better."

With a wry smile, Zuko looked down at his feet again, fiddling his thumbs as a silence ensued.

Several minutes passed in silence before Aang tilted his head to the right. "You want to say something." He said softly.

"What makes you say that?" Zuko said as he glanced at Aang.

"Your body language. And your heartbeat." The air bender said with a grin.

"Oh?" Zuko said with a frown.

Aang tilted his head to the side, as if listening carefully for something and a few seconds passed before he spoke. "Yep, you _definitely_ want to say something."

"Fine." Zuko relented with a sigh. "I want to say something." He said and then halted abruptly.

"Well..." Aang said, his eyebrows raised expectantly. "Say it!" He said exasperatedly. Zuko still maintained a silence and Aang frowned. "Zuko, come on. It's me. Say it." He insisted gently.

"Fine." He grumbled, after a moment of hesitation. "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for everything I did at the bar. I didn't mean to and I swear I didn't know what I was doing." He said hurriedly.

Aang smiled and then grinned. "It's okay. Although..." He paused for a dramatic effect. "You're not a bad kisser." He said evenly. However, all his composure vanished as Zuko stared at him in surprise and he felt himself blush heavily.

"What?" Aang cried as the fire bender's gaze did not waver.

"Did you just say what I think you said?" Zuko echoed with raised eyebrows.

"I'm serious! And I'm just being truthful. If you don't want compliments, I won't give them to you." Aang snapped with an irritable frown.

"No, I didn't mean it like that." Zuko said hastily. "Thank you, I guess?" He said uncertainly.

Beside him, Aang grinned from ear to ear and after a second, both of them burst out laughing.

Outside the room, however, Toph gaped as she listened to their conversation and Katara silently fumed, her hands balled into fists as she listened to their laughter.

Her mind was already furiously at work as she schemed.

* * *

_:O Now two evil bitches to deal with..Poor Zuko and Aang xP_

_Anyway, thank you for the reviews! ^_^_

_Wah, although, my roll ended :( Stupid weekends and stupid sisters...Can't even dream of getting a shot at the computer at this time of the week xD  
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to leave a review! :D_

_-Jade258 _


	8. Part VIII: The Unraveling

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part VIII  
The Unraveling **

Aang's nerves tingled with warmth as a small sigh escaped his lips and he rolled over onto his back. Sleep began to recede from his mind as a part of it told him that the sun was beginning to peek over the horizon. Eyes squinting, he rolled over onto his right side so that he was facing the window, through which sunlight was flitting in.

"Good Morning." Zuko's voice said and Aang at once, jolted awake.

"What are you doing here?" He murmured sharply.

"We slept together." Zuko said as he folded the bed sheet he had taken off the window. When he turned to put it back on the chair beside Aang's bed, he saw him blushing furiously. "Ah! I mean, I fell asleep here. Because we were talking." He said hurriedly.

"Oh." Aang said as he smiled.

"Nothing happened." Zuko added, hating how his voice sounded so jumpy and cautious.

"I'm sure it didn't. Or else Katara would be in here, ready to kill." Aang said as he fell back onto his pillow with a smile.

"Yeah, I'm afraid she already has been." Zuko said as he smiled wryly.

"Oh." Aang said, a small frown dawning on his face. "What did she say?"

"Well..." Zuko said with a grin. "She practically wrenched me off the bed and gave me a lecture on abiding the 'one person-one bedroom' rule, asking me if I had forgotten just where my room was and all that." He said, shrugging his shoulders, somewhat irritably.

Aang grimaced, his eyes apologetic as he looked up at Zuko. "I'm sorry." He said.

"Not your fault." Zuko said as he went over to the door and slid it open. "Come on. Let's make some breakfast."

With a smile, Aang slid off the bed and out into the living room. However, what he saw next made him stop in his tracks.

The dining table was laden with foods and stews of every kind, glimmering plates with napkins in them and brand new chopsticks on one side. Beside it all, stood Katara.

"Hi, guys!" She said brightly. "I thought I'd make breakfast today."

"Uh, Katara. You didn't really have to do that." Aang said, his brow furrowing in puzzlement as he glanced at Zuko.

"No, I thought that since you two work so hard every morning, _all alone_, that it might help if I made breakfast for once." She said, with a smile

However, that smile slipped right off her face as she saw Aang's expression harden. "You're doing it again." He said angrily.

"Doing what?" She asked innocently.

"Great spirits, Katara! Just stop it." He said loudly.

"Stop what?" She retorted, the first traces of anger seeping into her eyes.

"THIS!" Aang yelled, the whole house trembling as he balled his hands into fists. "This whole trying to keep Zuko away from me thing. We don't mind making breakfast and I don't mind being alone with him. I just don't get why it bothers _you_ so much." He said angrily.

Katara's face contorted with rage in response and before Zuko could even put in a mediocre attempt at peace-keeping, they plunged into one of the most biting verbal fights he had ever experienced.

* * *

"They broke up." Zuko said dully as he plopped down onto the couch in the living room.

"They did _what_?" Sokka yelled exasperatedly.

"Sokka! For the last time, THEY BROKE UP!" Zuko hissed angrily.

"But why?" Suki asked with a frown.

Zuko uncomfortably fell silent and Toph at once pounced on it. "No way, Sparky!" She said as her eyebrows dramatically rose. "_You_?" She said as a rather characteristic cackle escaped her lips.

"What? What about him?" Sokka asked frantically while beside him, Suki leaned forward with interest as she figured out Toph's words.

"No way!" Suki whispered conspiratorially.

"Yes way!" Toph said with a laugh.

"What? Someone tell me!" Sokka whined.

"They broke up because of Sparky!" Toph said in awe.

"No! They didn't." Zuko protested.

However, the lie only roused everyone interest and the next thing he knew, there were a few scrapes and Suki and Sokka had pulled over their chairs to sat down around him while Toph scooted closer to him on the couch. "Come on, tell us what happened. Did someone cry? Did they throw things at each other?" She asked with a mischievous grin.

"Toph!" Suki admonished as she surveyed the earth bender's glee.

"Come on, Suki. This is way too much fun." She said with a grin. She looked like she was about to say something but suddenly, she gasped and her sightless eyes widened in realization as something hit her. "You never came back to your room last night. _You slept with Aang_!" Toph said with a grin.

"Zuko!" Suki said in surprise.

"You bastard! You slept with Aang?" Sokka said, looking ready to strangle the fire bender.

"NO!" Zuko said loudly. "I didn't sleep with anyone." He said.

"Well, then?" Toph pressed with raised eyebrows.

Silence reigned for a couple of seconds but then, Zuko couldn't hold it back any longer. "We were just up all night talking and then I fell asleep in his bed. So, ten minutes before dawn, Katara stomped in and practically kicked me off Aang's bed. Then she went out again and did whatever it was that she was doing. Aang woke up and we were going to go and make breakfast but Katara was already there with this whole seven course meal." Zuko said in one breath and paused before continuing. "So, then Katara said that she didn't want us to be _cooking all alone_ and she obviously thought that Aang wouldn't be able to figure it out, but he did and then, he told her to stop doing it. Then she asked what it was that she was supposed to not do? And then he said that she should stop trying to keep him and me apart." Zuko said.

"Aw, how romantic." Suki said, blatantly ignoring the glare Zuko sent her way.

"So there we were and Katara said that ever since I joined you guys at the Air Temple, Aang had been spending more and more time with me rather than her. Aang said that it was because we were training since he needed to hone his fire bending skills to be anywhere near my father. By now, she was crying and saying that we were probably up to some other kind of training. Unfortunately, Aang understood that too and spent a whole minute standing there, blushing like an idiot until, Katara began to sob and then before he could answer, she said that he hadn't taken her on a single date ever since they kissed. And Aang said that he didn't even know where he was supposed to take her on a date." Zuko paused for another breath.

"Some other kind of training." Toph said with a loud guffaw. "Well, your hearts did use to beat very fast every time you came back from training." She said with a smirk.

"And you were always so flushed." Suki added with a giggle.

"It was ADRENALIN!" Zuko practically yelled as he felt his cheeks heat up.

"Sure, it was." Toph said teasingly.

Still blushing furiously, Zuko frowned before continuing with the story. "And then Katara says that Aang was just an immature little kid who actually fell for all my acts and then said that she could do much better. So then, Aang looked all shocked for a minute before saying that he didn't need a stupid girlfriend since he was only thirteen. And then she said _fine_ and he said _fine_. And they went their separate ways." Zuko said monotonously.

"Liar." Toph said with a grin.

"Huh?" Zuko echoed.

"You're holding out on us, Sparky." Toph accused.

"Come on, Zuko." Suki said as she playfully nudged him in the ribs. "You've told us everything else, why not tell us what you're hiding too." She suggested with a grin.

A few minutes passed in silence before Zuko bowed his head and mumbled something inaudible.

"Huh?"

"Didn't get you there, Sparky." Toph said with a teasing grin and even Sokka leaned closer to hear.

"She said that maybe next time..._I_ could give him a good fuck." Zuko said, his hair falling into his face as he bowed his head even further.

A thick, tense silence fell and then, Sokka spoke. "My sister said _fuck_?" He asked in surprise.

"Sugar Queen SWORE?" Toph wondered aloud.

Zuko, glad that they had paid more attention to Katara's swearing, rather than the actual sentence, managed to fight down the blush and sat up straight. Suki's teasing stare, however, was fixed directly on him and he mentally kicked himself for not noticing that she hadn't spoken.

"Hm, who knows? Maybe Zuko's already given Aang...'a good fuck'?" Suki said with a giggle.

Zuko's eyes widened comically and he gaped at Suki as she giggled even harder. Beside her, Toph cackled as she registered her words and the two laughed as their gaze fell on his expression.

"I'm sorry! I couldn't resist." Suki said with a laugh.

"I have _NOT_ given Aang 'a good fuck'!" Zuko said loudly.

"Yeah, I'm sure you've given Mai plenty of 'good fucks' but you're probably reserving '_the_ good fuck' for Aang." Toph said with a laugh.

"Can you please stop saying fuck?" Sokka said miserably, far beyond the point of actually protesting in Katara's defense.

"Not until Zuko admits that he's saving '_the_ good fuck' for Aang." Toph insisted while Suki laughed even harder.

"No." Zuko said firmly.

"Say it!"

"No."

"Go on"

"Say it, Zuko!"

"NO!"

"_Say it!_"

"I AM SAVING '_THE _GOOD FUCK' FOR AANG!" Zuko hollered angrily.

"Good boy." Toph whispered but the fire bender had frozen in shock as he looked off somewhere and the earth bender suddenly realized that everyone had fallen silent as well.

She rapidly slid her feet to the floor and herself, fell silent as she realized that someone had joined them. But then, the figure moved and dashed back into his room.

"Aang, no, wait!" Zuko said as he scrambled off the couch and shot towards his bedroom door just as it slid shut.

Sokka and Suki exchanged a foreboding glance and beside them, Toph grimaced and said only one word.

"Oops?..."

* * *

_Hmm, what shall our favorite air bender do in retaliation?  
Surely not go back to Katara, I hope :O_

_ Will have to wait and see, I suppose x]_

_I shall try my best-est to update tomorrow. But might not be able to since I'm going to go see The Last Airbender..Wooo! :D Although, after seeing the trailer, I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to write Zukaang again if I keep picturing Dev Patel as Zuko and that kid as Aang XD_

_Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review! :D_

_-Jade258_


	9. Part IX: The Plan

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part IX  
The Plan**

"Dammit, Aang! It's been two hours. Can you please open the door? I really am sorry!" Zuko bellowed from the other side of the air bender's door. He was currently seated on the floor with his back resting against it, his face towards the living room couch where Sokka, Suki and Toph were seated. Every now and then, they would shoot him a guilty look or just laugh at his attempts but for now, he had resisted fire bending at them.

"Go away!" A muffled voice called and Zuko at once, jolted upright. That was the first reply he had received in a whole hour.

"Come on, Aang! Please. I'm sorry!" Zuko called. "I didn't mean it! It was Toph who made me say it." He insisted, hastily ducking his head as a book came flying his way.

"It still doesn't make what you said any less...creepy." Aang replied.

"But you know I didn't mean it, Aang. Why would I?" Zuko said with a frown.

"But yesterday morning, when we woke up in that inn room, I got that weird feeli-" Aang began but was cut off as the fire bender spoke.

"Aang! Not here!" He hissed angrily.

"Why?" He wondered.

"Just open the door a little bit so my voice can travel clearly." Zuko said as he threw a hasty glance at Toph, who was smirking almost knowingly at him. "Please." He added when there was no reaction.

There was a slight moment of hesitation and then Aang slid open the door a fraction, his grey eyes peeking out at Zuko. He too was seated on the floor.

"Why can't we talk about it here?" Aang repeated.

"Well..." Zuko said as he sheepishly rubbed his neck. "You know how Toph is. She'd never stop with the teasing. And if Katara found out, we'd be dead." He whispered conspiratorially.

"But it was just something I felt. Why would Katara want to kill me for feeling that feeling?" Aang asked and Zuko let out an exasperated sigh.

Why hadn't the monks taught him about sex? That was what would _really_ come in handy in the real world.

"Look, Aang. It's just not a feeling that you get with a friend. Okay? And friends don't typically straddle each other naked either." He said, lowering his voice even further as Toph leaned forward from her spot at the couch.

"I was strangling you!" Aang protested and even through the small crack in between the door frame and the door, Zuko saw him blushing.

"Well, it could seem otherwise." He replied with a shrug. A few seconds passed in silence before Zuko remembered what they had really been talking about. "So, do you forgive me?" He wondered hopefully.

"No." Aang replied.

Zuko scowled deeply and shuffled closer to the opening in the door. "Come on, Aang. What's the problem?"

"There just is a problem." The air bender said, and Zuko detected the slightest hints of frustration in his voice. Another long silence and then:

"Give me your hand, Zuko." He demanded suddenly.

"Uh, why?" He asked cautiously.

"If you want me to forgive you, give it to me." Aang said firmly. "And place your feet flat on the ground." He added.

"What are you doing?" Zuko wondered but still held out his hand for Aang and stretched his legs from where he had crossed them underneath him.

"Okay, now. Breathe deeply." Aang said. "Do it." He added as Zuko shot him a skeptical look.

The fire bender obliged and slowly exhaled, his gaze inquisitive as Aang took his hand and placed his finger on his pulse point.

"Now, answer me with a yes or no." Aang said calmly and even though Zuko had by now figured out what he was doing, he didn't resist. "Did you really mean it when you said that you were saving 'the good fuck' for me?"

A few seconds passed in silence and Zuko was tempted to ask Aang if this was really necessary. But then, he had nothing to hide so with a small frown, he replied. "No."

From the other side of the room, Toph laughed. "That's the worst lie ever, Sparky!" She called out and Zuko jumped.

"You're lying?" Aang demanded angrily.

"No! My heart just sped up because she surprised me. I swear I wasn't lying." Zuko said hurriedly.

"You were. Your pulse was erratic." Aang said disappointedly as he let go of the fire bender's hand.

"Aang! There could have been hundreds of things to set me off. Come on! I wasn't lying. Why would I lie to you?" Zuko insisted but his protests fell on deaf ears as Aang once again slammed the door in his face.

"Maybe you were lying but you just didn't know." Toph suggested from the other side of the room.

"I think I would know if I was lying." Zuko snapped angrily as he pushed himself off the floor and stomped over to the couch.

"No, I'm serious, Sparky. Maybe subconsciously you knew you were lying and that's why your heart sped up." She said frankly.

"I wasn't lying!" Zuko yelled as he agitatedly got to his feet and stomped over to the front door. He slid it open and exited before slamming it hard behind him.

"Hey, Toph." Sokka said suddenly as he looked up from the puzzle that was sprawled across the table in front of the couch. "How long do you think before he realizes that Mai has been gone for two whole days?" He asked with a laugh.

"Well, if he doesn't get over his situation with Twinkles, I don't think ever." She said with a grin.

* * *

That evening, the front door once again slid open and Zuko tiredly trudged in, his eyes weary and troubled. "Look what I found." He said bitterly.

Sokka, Suki, Toph, Aang and Katara, who were all sitting at opposite sides of the room looked up as he spoke. "What?" Toph asked as she sat up.

"Hate letters. For me and Aang." He spat out angrily as he pulled out a bundle of letters from his pocket and dropped it onto the dinner table. "The mailbox was practically bursting with them."

"Hate letters?" The air bender echoed as he picked them up. "But why?"

"Aang, there are hundreds of people all over the world who hate homosexuals. Most of them are really religious. Some just like to discriminate." Suki said and Zuko muttered a rather audible swearword under his breath.

"But I'm not-" Aang began but was cut off as Zuko glared at him.

"Yeah, yeah, Aang. You're not gay. I'm not gay. Just let go of that argument already, would you?" The fire bender said as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"What's with him?" Sokka wondered as Aang sat there looking stung.

However, before anyone else could answer, Zuko trudged out of the kitchen and sat down at the table. "I'm going back to the Fire Nation tomorrow." He said.

"What? Why?" Aang asked worriedly.

"Why do you think, Aang? When the war ended, there were Ozai loyalists swarming the streets and blowing houses up as a sign of protest. As if that wasn't enough, now there are a bunch of religious extremists demanding that I be burned to death for being gay, which I'm not." He said gravely.

"Burned to death? That's sick." Suki echoed, her eyes wide with fear.

"That's the Fire Nation." Zuko said with a wry smile.

"But we had a deal. We can't let Miyako win!" Aang protested. "You have to stay." He insisted earnestly.

"Aang, get real. How are we supposed to convince the public that we're not gay? Mai's not really big on the public displays of affection thing and you...don't have a girlfriend." Zuko said hastily.

An uncomfortable silence fell and everyone exchanged uneasy glances before Aang spoke once again. "What do we do, then? We only have eleven days left." He said with a frown.

"Unless one of you comes up with an amazing plan tonight, I don't think I can stay here any longer." Zuko said with a frown.

"Don't be a coward, Sparky. We can do this." Toph said firmly.

"Yeah! We'll take that gossiping bitch down together!" Sokka said as he nodded firmly.

"How about it, Suki, Sugar Queen?" Toph asked. "You in?"

"Hell, yes! There's no way she's going to get away with this!" Suki said indignantly as she stood up.

"Katara?" Aang said, his smile faltering as she shot him a glare.

"Fine. But we need to have a talk later." She said through gritted teeth.

"Then its done." Zuko said with a nod. "We'll go visit Uncle tonight and ask him what we should do. And if we come up with a plan by morning, I'll stay and we'll take down that play."

"Team Avatar is BACK!" Sokka cried with a huge grin.

"Oh, Zuko." Suki said suddenly.

"Hm?"

"I'm surprised you didn't notice but currently, both you and Aang are single." She said with a grin.

"We are?" He wondered, causing Toph and Sokka to snicker behind their hands.

Shooting the two a reproachful look, Suki continued. "Yeah, Mai left two days ago because her father fell sick. So, if you want any spectacular public displays, you're going to have to find yourself a new girlfriend and risk Mai finding out through the newspapers."

"Oh Agni." Zuko breathed as his eyes widened.

"She's going to think you're cheating on her." Suki said with a shrug.

"But I can write to her, can't I?" Zuko asked worriedly.

"It'll take too long for the letter to reach her. And you can't go and tell her yourself." Suki said as he opened his mouth to speak. "Because Miyako's already given you two days. Did she say anything about when she would deliver the second blow?"

Aang and Zuko exchanged a glance and shook their heads. "No, she just said that she was going to be waiting for the retaliation and that we shouldn't disappoint her."

"That's good." Sokka piped up.

"How?" Zuko asked incredulously.

"She's obviously underestimating you two." He said.

"Or she could be overestimating us." Aang said worriedly.

"Well, you two did fall very easily for her first trick. Maybe her second one won't be that bad, now that she's convinced you two are so..." Suki said and trailed off as she searched for the right word.

"Pathetic, gullible and eager to get into each other's pants." Toph said with a guffaw.

"Shut up, Toph." Zuko snapped as Aang spluttered angrily and Katara shot all of them a murderous glance.

Once he had made sure that he wasn't going to blush, Zuko continued. "Or her second blow could be even worse. I'm sure she never quite managed to get her hands on a story about people like us. I don't think she's going to relent." He said miserably.

"Probably not." Suki agreed thoughtfully.

"That's super consoling." Aang said as he buried his face into his hands.

"Oh, man up, would you, Twinkles?" Toph said as she rolled her sightless eyes.

"Yeah, we'll figure this out, Aang." Zuko said absentmindedly.

"We're going to have to get some dirt on Miyako." Suki said suddenly.

"Blackmail?" Aang yelped as he sat upright. "That's a little drastic, don't you think?" He asked worriedly.

"Aang, she dumped you in a gay bar. With two reporters. And a drugged Zuko. _That_ is what I call drastic." Suki said with a frown.

* * *

_Okay, lol. So despite all the reviews advising me to NOT go and see the movie, I went and saw it anyways, because well, I've been waiting for it for months. xD And admittedly, there are a million things I hated about it [like the fact that Zuko's scar is practically non-existent, that his hair isn't long, that they pronounce everyone's names wrong x_x, and that every Fire Nation person is Indian :(] but there were lots of things that I liked as well. Aside from the fact that Zuko's appearance was all, bleh, if you put aside the cartoon Zuko then I think that Dev Patel did an okay job.  
Though the movie didn't dissuade me at all from Zukaang ^_^ I found Zuko and Aang's fight sequence in the Northern Water Tribe pretty hot, especially all the groping XD [yes, i'm a pervert ]  
Overall, I think that it was good but nothing compared to the actual show. And Jackson Rathbone is a pretty cool Sokka xD_

_Anyway! Thank you for all the reviews :D_

_Admittedly, the past couple of chapters have been all talk and stuff, but I intend for the coming ones to includes lots of Miyako bitchiness. :D_

_So, hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review! :D_

_-Jade258_


	10. Part X: A Subtle Confession

**Part X  
A Subtle Confession**

The six of them walked through the streets of the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, gravel crunching underfoot and dust rising from the ground. Katara and Suki walked together, their gaze fixed on the street vendors with their fancy, green-painted carts. Sokka walked almost aimlessly, zig-zagging here and there in his boredom while Toph every now and then kicked up rocks to make him trip. Zuko's steps were swift and even though his expression was relaxed, his shoulders and back were tense. A detail that Aang did not fail to notice.

"Zuko, he's your uncle! Why are you so nervous about seeing him?" Aang wondered quietly.

"It's not that." The fire bender murmured in reply, his guarded gaze looking off into the distance as they walked.

"Then what?" Aang asked softly.

"Aang, those letters! Have you even seen what they say? They're so…" Zuko began agitatedly but trailed off as he searched for the right word.

"They're cruel, Zuko." He merely said. Zuko shot him a questioning glance and the air bender smiled wryly in response. "I read a few." He said with a shrug.

"You shouldn't have." He replied coldly.

"Why? Because I can't handle them and you can?" Aang wondered. "Because you're older? Because you face a greater penalty for being supposedly gay?" He pressed.

"Yes." He said firmly.

"Well, that's stupid, I think." Aang said with a smile.

Zuko glared at him and in reponse, the air bender's smile widened further.

"You're silly, you know that, Zuko? I have just as much right of reading those letters as you do. And l think that you should ignore them, because you're not gay and as long as you know that, I don't see what the problem is." Aang said reassuringly.

Zuko paused uncertainly and his brow furrowed in thought. A few seconds passed in silence before he spoke. "Toph said that I could be gay and not know it." He said uncertainly.

That surprised Aang and with raised eyebrows, he drew back to look carefully at Zuko. "You talked to Toph about these things? That's rather stupid on your part!" The air bender said with a laugh.

"I didn't talk to her about it. She talked to me about it." He said defiantly as his cheeks flushed red.

"Either way, you know she just likes to joke around." Aang said and smiled.

"She sounded serious." Zuko relayed with a shrug.

"Did she?" Aang wondered and the fire bender saw his gaze flick towards Toph who was listening into their conversation and not even trying to hide the fact. "Please, continue." She said with a grin.

Scowling, Zuko grabbed Aang's arm and drew him further away from the group. "She sounded serious. Is that good?" He wondered worriedly.

"Well, did she call you Sparky or Zuko?" Aang asked. "Because if she says Sparky, then she's not serious. But if she says Zuko, she's very, very serious." He whispered conspiratorially.

"Uh..." Zuko began uncertainly as he struggled to remember the details of the conversation that they had had earlier in the day. However, he vaguely noticed Aang's lips curve into a mischievous grin and at once found himself frowning. "Oh, I get it." He said snidely.

"What?" Aang said as the smile vanished from his face and his eyes widened innocently.

"You don't believe me." He said stiffly.

Aang paused for a moment, as if contemplating the subject and then laughed. "You're right. I don't." He admitted playfully.

"Oh?" Zuko echoed angrily.

"Look, Zuko! You're not gay! I know you're not." Aang said, his eyes sparkling with amusement as he bit back a laugh.

"And how would you know that?" The fire bender snapped, looking somewhat offended. "I could easily be gay. I mean, I'm not that bad-looking and I could get any girl I wanted.." Zuko started and glared at Aang as he snickered behind his hand. "But I've only ever had one girlfriend and even that is so dispassionate, it's unbelievable!' He said and that admission caused Aang to stop smiling and frown up at him.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

Zukp, however, ignored him and continued onward with his rant. "Katara is pretty. In fact, she's gorgeous. But for some reason, I don't find her attractive. I mean, sure, I can admit she's pretty but I don't see any girl and immediately appreciate her looks. Isn't that weird? I mean, I should, shouldn't I? I bet that even a monk does that. But I don't. I SHOULD! Because I'm a hormonal teenager but instead, I spend every stupid minute of every _stupid_ day with you!" Zuko cried agitatedly, one hand reaching up to tug at his hair.

Aang's eyes widened in surprise and suddenly, he didn't find himself laughing. Not even close to it.

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose and then turned away. "Forget I said that, okay?" He muttered to Aang before gritting his teeth and practically jogging towards Iroh's tea shop which had loomed into view. While Aang stood there, trying to decipher the meaning behind Zuko's words.

* * *

"Nephew!" Iroh's voice rumbled in the teashop as he saw Zuko and the rest of the Gang trail in through the wide open doorway.

"Uncle." Zuko said, his previously tense expression relaxing into a gracious smile as his gaze fell on his stocky Uncle. He chuckled as Iroh slid out from behind the counter and crossed the distance between them in a few strides. The fire bender allowed himself to be pulled into a hug and awkwardly patted him on the back as for some weird reason, he felt like pouring out all his worries to his uncle.

Iroh's gaze quickly studied his expression and he must have seen the desperation in his eyes because his golden eyes softened as he smiled. "Come, come." He said, gesturing merrily to the rest of the Gang who were standing awkwardly to one side. Once Uncle Iroh had pulled everyone - even Toph - into a hug, he gestured for them to follow him.

"You must stay for dinner. Although, I'll have to make it first." Iroh said, his lips twitching as his eyes sparkled merrily. He led them all into the back room and up towards his apartment over the teashop.

Zuko quietly weaved up the staircase, his gaze almost always nervously darting towards Aang as he found himself wringing his hands. Agni, this was unbearable. He practically dashed into his Uncle's apartment as he opened the door, his lips curving into a smile as he let his gaze sweep the spacious and well-lighted room.

"Sit." He said happily as he gestured in the general direction of the sofas and sitting mats. "Come help me with dinner, Zuko." He said to the fire bender, who hastily tore his feverish gaze from Aang and stumbled after Iroh into the kitchen.

Once they were safely out of earshot in the privacy of the kitchen, Iroh threw open the cabinets and began to take out ingredients while Zuko leaned against the counter. If only he hadn't said that to Aang _right_ before coming to his Uncle's. At least that would have given him some time to calm down and get his thoughts cleared up so that he would have even a slight chance of being able to fool his uncle. But no, he had to be an idiot and say it in clear earshot of Toph, probably scaring the air bender off in the process.

_Stupid!_

"What is it, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked absentmindedly, as his gaze flicked towards Zuko.

"Fire Lord." He murmured as he ran a hand through his hair.

Ignoring him, Iroh pressed on. "Have you been eating properly? You look..distraught." He said thoughtfully.

"Uncle, the situation is getting out of hand. There are so many riots!" Zuko said agitatedly.

Iroh shot him a searing look and turned around to face him properly. "That is not what I was referring to, nephew and you know that. I meant, your...mental state." He said.

"Uncle, you make me sound like some sort of crazed lunatic." Zuko muttered with a frown.

"That does not answer my question." He pointed out.

A few seconds passed in silence before Zuko abruptly spoke. "It's just that _play_." He said, spitting out the world like it was poison on his tongue. "And the set-up. And then, the hate letters. And now _Aang!_" Zuko hissed angrily. "I don't know what to do, Uncle." He said softly.

"What about Avatar Aang?" Iroh asked with interest.

Zuko at once fixed his Uncle with a glare but Iroh merely laughed in response. "Nothing about him. I just said something really stupid." He muttered, making a note to go and kill himself once he was done here.

"And what was that?" Iroh wondered innocently.

Zuko did not respond and instead, gently shoved his Uncle aside and pulled forward the cookbook propped up against the wall. His gaze rapidly traveled down the list of ingredients and he pulled the ones that his Uncle hadn't yet placed on the counter, out of the cabinets. Once he was done, he placed them all in a straight line, his hands fidgeting nervously with the packets as his nervous gaze darted about everywhere.

Iroh waited.

Finally, after several minutes of silence, the fire bender bowed his head in defeat and his voice was barely above a whisper when he said: "I told him that somehow I didn't find Katara attractive. And that my relationship with Mai was boring. And that for some reason, I spend every waking moment around him."

Iroh managed to contain his amusement as he saw the back of Zuko's neck redden and merely let out a light, sympathetic _tch._

"For the past three years, Zuko, your life has focused so desperately around the Avatar. You managed to convince yourself that he was your only hope for returning home. Maybe, over the passage of time, it could have developed into something mo-" Iroh began but was cut off as Zuko brought his fist down on the counter. Hard.

"NO! I'm _not_ in love with him." Zuko hissed angrily.

Iroh tilted his head to the left and Zuko could tell by the look in his eyes that that hadn't been his implication.

_Stupid!_

He groaned at himself and turned away again, aware that his cheeks were burning. "I never implied that you were, Zuko." He said slyly. "Why? Are you?" He insisted.

"No!" Zuko burst out exasperatedly. Agni, three years and he still didn't know how to get out when his Uncle began his mind games. Zuko knew that if he let this get out of hand, he would probably end up admitting to something that was probably not even true. So, he did the only thing that he could think of.

"You can ask him!" He cried desperately as his Uncle's gaze did not relent.

"I can?" Iroh wondered.

"I- NO! You can't." Zuko yelped.

"You offered, nephew. How could I refuse?" Iroh asked, in a display of mock thoughtfulness.

"Please, don't ask. He'll freak out and think that I'm in love with him or something stupid like that." Zuko blabbered hurriedly.

Iroh stared at him for several seconds before nodding. "Very well. But I can't promise that I won't pry." He warned before looking pointedly towards the seating area and then getting down to making dinner.

* * *

By the time Zuko stumbled out of the kitchen, there was the low sound of chatter in the living room, but somehow, everyone still managed to notice his flushed cheeks and flustered appearance. He avoided their gazes and instead, wandered off towards his old bedroom. He slid open the door and saw that it was neat and tidy, everything untouched. But impeccably clean.

Suddenly, Zuko felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he surveyed the room. His uncle had done so much for him and now he'd become the Fire Lord and was about trying to get his head out of his own ass, while not even bothering to visit him. He sighed pensively and then stepped in, his golden eyes still scouring the area. He made his way over to an empty cloth trunk sitting at the foot of his futon and flung open the lid. Inside, it was empty but Zuko still reached in and ran his fingers along the sides.

He lightly felt metal against his fingers and subconsciously grabbed onto it before pulling it back. The hidden compartment at once fell open and Zuko pulled out the Blue Spirit mask. He felt a laugh bubbling up inside him as he looked down at it but managed to bite it back just in time. He really didn't want his Uncle to think that he'd gone insane.

"Zuko." An all too familiar voice said behind him and the mask fell to the floor with a thud.

"Uh, yeah?" He asked, keeping his back firmly turned towards Aang and his gaze on the floor.

"Dinner's ready." He said uncertainly.

"Thanks. I'll be right there." Zuko mumbled and then snatched up the mask and stuffed it into the trunk. He got to his feet and turned around, only to have Aang standing in his face. With a yell, Zuko stumbled backwards and barely managed to keep his balance. "What are you doing?" He demanded angrily.

"You seem distracted. And jumpy, Zuko." Aang observed as he stepped closer. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"I will be if you stay away from me." He said and then clamped his mouth shut as he realized what he'd just said. He saw Aang's expression falter and then, his eyes cloud over with hurt.

"Oh, I see." He said coldly and then turned to leave.

"No, wait! I didn't mean it like that." Zuko said as he hurried forward. "I'm sorry." He said and hastily averted his gaze as Aang stared intently up at him.

"Zuko." The air bender breathed quietly and tilted his head to try and meet the fire bender's gaze. "What's wrong?" He asked quietly.

"I- nothing. It's nothing." Zuko said, shuffling uncomfortably as Aang lightly grabbed the back of his neck and forced up his head.

"If you'd rather talk to Toph, I'll go get her." He said and Zuko felt himself smile at the teasing lilt to his voice.

"No, I'd rather not." He replied, smiling wryly.

"Then tell me what's wrong." Aang insisted. When Zuko did not reply, he slid the door shut with his air bending. "Zuko!" He said, his grip tightening on the fire bender's neck.

"Nothing's wrong. It's just that..." Zuko began but trailed off uncertainly. "Aren't you freaked out about what I said to you earlier?" He asked anxiously.

"Outside the teashop?" Aang asked with raised eyebrows.

Zuko nodded hesitantly in response.

Aang seemed to pause and think about it for a few seconds before replying. "No. I mean, there's nothing wrong with not finding Katara attractive. And I don't imagine that anyone could have a very heated relationship with Mai." Aang said with a shrug and smiled as he felt some of the tension slip away from Zuko's shoulders. "Why would I be freaked out about it?" He wondered.

And like a charm, all the tension returned and Zuko felt the most excruciating urge to pound his head into the wall. He didn't get just why Aang had to be so incredibly naive and innocent. He had gotten the meaning behind Katara's words the other day but somehow, he couldn't understand the implication of Zuko's words. What were the chances of that?

"No reason." Zuko said and made a move to step away from Aang.

"You're lying." He said shrewdly.

Zuko glared down at Aang and the air bender defiantly stared up, neither relenting. A few seconds passed in silence and then Aang sighed. "Fine, I'll tell you the truth." The air bender said, his grey eyes sliding down to the floor.

"What truth?" Zuko asked sharply.

"I understood what you said earlier. I just didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable." Aang said with a shrug.

But Zuko still remained suspicious and stepped forward. "Oh? So what did I mean by what I said?" He asked, his eyebrows rising as Aang blushed and stepped away.

"Uh, that there's a chance that you might be gay. And that y-you..." Aang said and nervously trailed off as his eyes darted up to Zuko's intense gaze.

"That I what?" The fire bender echoed quietly.

"That you, uh...might be in l-love with me?" Aang said, his voice ending in a squeak as Zuko pushed him up against the wall.

"I'm _not_ in love with you. Don't flatter yourself." Zuko hissed angrily.

"I just said 'might be'. I didn't-" Aang said hurriedly but was cut off as the door suddenly slid open.

"Prince Zuko? Dinner's getting co-" Iroh began but fell silent as his eyes fell on the spectacle in front of him. "Oh? Am I interrupting something?" He asked slyly.

Zuko glared back at his Uncle, only now realizing just how suspicious it looked with Aang's hand on the back of his neck and his own hand gripping the air bender's collar. If that wasn't bad enough, both their cheeks were flushed red. Agni, life really was cruel.

"No, you were not, Uncle." Zuko said firmly as he let his hand fall to his side and practically wrenched Aang's hand away from his neck.

But even as Aang stumbled away from Zuko and the fire bender slammed the lid to the trunk shut before exiting the room, Iroh's amused grin never left his lips.

* * *

_*sigh*  
Woo, as if Suki and Toph weren't enough, a new addition to the Zukaang fanclub! xD_

_Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review!_

_-Jade258 _


	11. Part XI: A BackAlley Tryst

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XI  
A Back-Alley Tryst **

Zuko kept his head down as he walked back into the living room. He could practically feel Iroh's gaze boring into the back of his head and nervously glanced at Aang before taking a seat beside Toph. The earth bender must have sensed his erratically beating heart for she shot him an odd look before beginning to sip her tea once more. From across the table, Katara glared at him while Sokka was busy stuffing his mouth with food.

"So, nephew. What was it that brought you here in the first place?" Iroh said as he eased himself into the chair at the head of the table.

"Miyako Suzuri." He said flatly.

"Ah, yes. What a lovely young girl." He said with a chuckle.

"You know her?" Zuko asked in surprise.

"Indeed. The story of my failure at Ba Sing Se was a very big hit." He said with a chuckle, even though it seemed somewhat half-hearted.

Zuko merely gaped at him and then, hastily rearranged his expression. "She made a deal with me and Aang. Said that if we could prove to the whole public that we weren't gay, that she would take down the play. And she only gave us a fortnight. Today's the third day." He said miserably. "And you know the rest. It's been two days since, uh, she dumped me and Aang in a bar and told us not to disappoint her." He added. "I can't really come up with any spectacular public displays since Mai is back in the Fire Nation and Aang doesn't have a girlfriend."

"I see..." Iroh said thoughtfully. "And you are telling me this, why?" He wondered.

"Well, because we need your help in getting back at her." Zuko said promptly.

Iroh stared at him for several seconds and then hummed thoughtfully before turning to his food. Zuko stared at him in confusion but when five minutes passed and still Iroh continued to eat, he too turned to his food. He had barely put the first bite into his mouth when he spoke.

"The answer is obvious, nephew." Iroh said as he sat back in his chair.

Zuko looked up at him, his brow furrowed in puzzlement. "It is?"

"Indeed." Iroh said happily. "If you can't convince her of the contrary, then do not." He said simply.

A few seconds passed in silence and then: "WHAT?" Zuko yelped angrily.

"What? What is it?" Aang asked worriedly, unable to decipher the meaning behind Iroh's words.

"That is my opinion, Zuko." Iroh said nonchalantly.

"You have _got _to be kidding me!" The fire bender spluttered angrily.

"Why? Did it never occur to you, nephew?" Iroh asked curiously.

"What? What is he talking about, Zuko?" Aang asked worriedly.

"He wants us to tell everyone that we _are_ gay." Zuko said incredulously.

"But that's ridiculous!" Aang said in confusion.

"Not at all, Avatar Aang." Iroh insisted as he lightly sipped his tea.

"But don't you know about the riots that are already breaking out? This would only make it worse!" Zuko protested.

"On the contrary, Zuko, these riots are only breaking out because your people are unsure. The riots are a challenge. They are daring you to admit that you are, indeed, gay and once you admit to it, firmly and decisively, it will influence the outcome. If you show no fear or hesitation, the riots will eventually die out and even though the Fire Nation might not admit it, they'd be pleased to have a leader who is not afraid to admit to the truth." Iroh said calmly.

"What truth?" Zuko cried in outrage. "I'm not-"

"That is not the point, Zuko. For now, your focus should only be on bringing these riots to an end." Iroh said firmly.

"But aren't you forgetting just the tiniest little detail that I am _not_ gay!" Zuko said angrily.

"Zuko, you might like to believe that this is about you, but at this particular moment, it is not. It is about the innocent people, _your_ innocent people that are getting hurt just because you aren't taking any action." Iroh said forcefully.

Zuko's face contorted with irritation and he looked down at his food, aware that every single person except Toph was looking at him. However, he refused to look up and continued to eat his dinner until he was done. Snatching up a napkin, he sat back and glared at Iroh before turning to look at Aang, whose gray eyes were trained on him.

"Well, nephew?" Iroh wondered.

"Can I talk to you in private, Aang?" Zuko said through gritted teeth.

The air bender jumped at the random mention of his name and uncertainly nodded. "Yeah, uh, sure." He said and stood up to follow Zuko who had already threw open the door and made his way outside.

Once the door had slid shut, Iroh sat back with a satisfied smile. "It's done, then." He said happily.

"But he didn't even agree." Sokka pointed out with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, he will." Iroh said slyly.

Meanwhile, Zuko swiftly made his way down the stairs, into the Jasmine Dragon and out the back door, along with the sound of Aang's light footfalls. He didn't even know why he was feeling so apprehensive, so nervous and jittery. And now, he wasn't even sure why he'd wanted to talk to Aang in private in the first place.

The fresh air did nothing to calm his nerves and with no regard for the dinginess of the back alley, he slumped against the wall and sat cross-legged on the ground. Aang silently joined him.

They sat like that for several minutes, watching what little of the sunset they could through the rooftops until Aang spoke. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. What would you do?" Zuko asked uncertainly.

"Why are you asking me?" Aang asked.

"You're the Avatar. Help me." Zuko said simply.

"This is your business." He replied quietly.

Zuko's gaze at once snapped to him and the air bender hastily looked away. "This is just as much my business as it is yours." He hissed angrily.

"No, it's not." Aang said flatly.

"Fine, then. What would you do in such a situation?" Zuko asked.

"That's irrelevant." Aang said tersely as he looked away.

Zuko stared at him for several seconds, disbelief painted all over his face until his face suddenly broke out into a bitter smile. "I get it. You just don't want me to know that if _you_ were in this situation, you wouldn't have the guts to tell everyone you're gay. Is that it, Aang?" Zuko asked snidely.

The air bender's gaze at once slid to him and despite all the anger swimming in those grays, Zuko did not relent.

"No, I wouldn't. Because firstly, I'd have the sense to actually figure out if I was gay or not." He snapped angrily.

Zuko's face contorted with irritation and he fully turned around so that he was facing Aang. "What? You think I'm confused?" He challenged defiantly.

"I don't _think _you're confused, Zuko. I know you are." Aang said coldly.

"Oh and what makes you think that?" Zuko snapped, somewhat stupidly.

Aang stared at him in alarm for several seconds before shaking his head in disbelief. "Zuko, are you drunk? You said, barely half an hour ago that Toph said that you might be gay and not know it." He said as he shot the fire bender a funny look.

"I only relayed that information to you. I didn't say that I believ-" Zuko began defiantly but was cut off as Aang stood up in one swift motion.

"Look, Zuko. This is pointless, okay? I'm going back inside." He said quietly and turned away to walk towards the teashop.

As if sensing Zuko's burning gaze on him, Aang came to a sudden halt and turned back to the fire bender with a frown. "Just figure things out before running off to save your people, Zuko." He said quietly.

"I can't." The fire bender muttered and Aang's eyes widened at the defeat lacing his voice.

"Yes, you can." The air bender said forcefully.

"What makes you so sure?" Zuko asked with a scowl.

"Because I think you already know the answer." Aang said and the fire bender looked up, alarm painted all over his face.

"I'm sorry, _what_?" Zuko hissed in disbelief.

"You said it yourself, Zuko. In that rant outside the teashop. You're gay, aren't you?" He said and the fire bender's disbelief merely grew as a delicate blush bloomed on the air bender's cheeks.

Several minutes passed in an awkward silence before with a growl, Zuko stood up. "Fine, then. If I'm gay, then so are you." He snapped stubbornly as he advanced towards Aang.

The air bender blankly stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"You heard me." Zuko growled angrily and Aang shrunk back at the anger clouding the fire bender's eyes.

"Zuko, what are you doing?" He asked, mentally wincing as his voice shook.

"You made a jibe at me." Zuko snapped angrily.

"No, I didn't!" Aang protested and exhaled sharply as his back connected solidly with the wall.

"Yes, you did. You insulted me." Zuko growled.

"Zuko, you're being completely irrational. I didn't insult...!" Aang protested defiantly, his voice trailing off as the fire bender placed a hand on either side of his head on the wall. "What are you doing?" He asked suspiciously.

"If I'm gay, then so are you." He repeated stubbornly.

"Zuko!" Aang said warningly as the fire bender leaned forward. "If you even dare to come any closer, I'll ask Toph to earth bend you all the way to the Southern Water Tr-" Aang began but was cut off as Zuko roughly grabbed him the collar and pulled him forward.

And just like that, Aang's brain froze and he stood there, like an idiot with his mouth half open and covered by Zuko's own. Several rather colorful swearwords were at the very tip of his tongue and at that particular moment, he would have forgotten all of his monk teachings and spat them out without any hesitation. But even that thought slipped away as Zuko's lithe fingers lightly traced his cheekbones. "You're ridiculous." The fire bender groaned against his mouth and just like that everything fell back into proportion.

However, Aang wasn't really sure he liked the outcome since as Zuko pulled back a fraction, his traitorous body leaned in for another kiss. Again and again, the fire bender claimed his mouth, biting, sucking, licking and Aang was barely aware of the muscled arm that had sneaked around his waist. Their kisses steadily became more fervent and heated and the air bender, despite himself, groaned into Zuko's mouth.

He almost tripped over his own feet as the fire bender pushed him up against the wall, their bodies pressed flush together. Aang didn't do anything to stop Zuko from practically forcing his tongue down his throat. Instead, he was pretty sure he heard a something that sounded very suspiciously like a...purr? The sound resonated between the two of them and Aang felt Zuko's lips twitch against his own, just as he realized that the sound had come from his own mouth.

_Oh great Spirits! I'm purring! Into my best friend's mouth._

With something that Aang liked to believe was a manly enough squeal, he wrenched himself away from Zuko and backed even further into the wall as if such a thing were possible. "If I'm gay, then so are you." The fire bender breathed into his ear. And Aang was sure that if he hadn't been biting down on his lip, he would have whimpered at the tone of Zuko's voice.

"I'm afraid that the Ojiya* didn't turn out quite right..." A muffled voice suddenly said and just like that, Aang felt all awareness about the fire bender's body pressed against his slip away.

"Zuko!" Aang hissed and the fire bender looked down at him just as the back door flew open and they saw one of Iroh's slipper-clad foot from behind the door. There was a splash as with a _tch, _the old fire bender dumped the contents of a large pot into the alley.

Zuko felt a tremor run through Aang's body as a pair of bare feet stepped out along with Iroh's and earth bended the ground over the spoiled soup. "We can try again, right?" Toph's voice said and with a chuckle, they heard Iroh walking back into the teashop.

"Certainly. Though I'll have to run over to the nearby shop and get some ingredients." Iroh said.

"Hmm, you do that..." Toph's absent-minded voice said and as Iroh's footsteps faded, the back door was flung shut to reveal Toph.

At the bang that echoed throughout the whole alley, Zuko felt Aang jump and even though the air bender's hand clawed at his, he did not let him go. Instead, Zuko was too horrified to see that Toph was looking in their direction, an almost feral grin on her lips.

"Well, well, well. A back-alley tryst. How romantic." She murmured and Zuko suspected that if he hadn't been holding Aang against the wall, the air bender's knees would surely have buckled underneath him.

* * *

_Well, it turned out to be a little bit of a jerky ending but hey, its a cliff-hanger! xD_

_As for **Ojiya**__ : a soup containing rice stewed in stock, often with egg, meat, seafood, vegetables or mushroom, and flavoured with miso or soy. Known as __juushii_ in Okinawa. Some similarity to risotto and Kayu though Zosui uses cooked rice, as the difference is that kayu is made from raw rice.  
-Courtesy of Wikipedia :D

___And hmm, there has been a rather visible drop in reviews! So, unless I get at least seven for this chapter, no lime-scented yumminess for you guys _

___But for those who shall be awesome readers, be warned that when I mean 'lime-scented' that means it won't be very graphic :]  
____Am I mean for saying that? :P _  
___Oh, well...I enjoy the reviews so get reviewing! ;]  
And thank you to those who have reviewed! I really appreciate it! ^_^ *gives all the good reviewers a cookie*_

___-Jade258 _


	12. Part XII: Kisses And Castration?

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XII  
Kisses and... Castration? **

There had been several times that Zuko had seen Aang well and truly afraid. But the look of sheer terror painted across the air bender's face at that moment made Zuko wonder just how much of a threat Toph was. In addition, he could feel Aang's heartbeat against his own chest and that did nothing to console him either. It was as clear as daylight.

Aang was utterly terrified.

"Ha! I'm sure Katara would just _explode_ with _happiness_ if she heard about this." Toph said with a snicker as she made her way towards them. With each step, Zuko saw that her expression grew more amused and he knew that she was probably enjoying the fact that his heartbeat, too, had quickened.

"No! Don't tell Katara." Aang said desperately, his grip subconsciously tightening on Zuko's wrist.

"Oh, but this is too much _fun_." Toph said with a maniacal laugh.

"Get lost, Toph." Zuko growled angrily and winced as Aang's fingernails dug into his skin.

"She has leverage. Be nice, you idiot." He hissed angrily.

"Precisely, Sparky." Toph said cheerfully as she came to a halt in front of them. "Well, isn't this cozy?" She practically purred.

Zuko was vaguely aware of Aang's breathing quickening but still did not move away from him. "What do you want?" He hissed angriy.

"I want to listen." She said happily as she earth bended herself a chair out of the ground.

"Huh?" Aang echoed stupidly.

"I want to listen." She repeated calmly.

"Listen to what?" Aang spat out and Zuko had to resist the urge to smack his hand over his own face.

"You two. I want to listen to you two kissing. I mean sure you and Katara are okay, Aang but 'seeing' you two kissing never was very...hot. But judging by all the noise Mai makes, Zuko sure is a good kisser." She said nonchalantly and Aang's mouth fell open.

"Oh Agni." Zuko groaned as the air bender looked like he was about to faint.

"You listen to people making out?" He asked weakly.

"Hey, I have no choice." She said with a shrug and Zuko had the urge to kick Toph.

"Oh spirits." Aang murmured faintly as he slumped against Zuko.

"By the way, you and Mai should get a motel room when you're going to have sex. Honestly, my feet are gonna go blind some day." She said, in a matter-of-fact manner.

"You have got to be kidding!" Zuko exclaimed as he felt his cheeks flush with color.

"Nuh-uh. I don't lie about this kinda stuff." She said. "Now, get down to the fun part." She said and frantically waved her hand in their general direction.

"Absolutely NOT. I am not going to kiss Zuko in front of you." Aang said stubbornly.

"Oh, so you _would_ kiss him in private?" She asked, an amused smile playing on her lips.

"What? NO!" Aang spluttered angrily as he felt his cheeks heat up and the fire bender looked down at him with raised eyebrows.

"EEEENK!" Toph yelled. "Wrong answer." She whispered with a grin.

Zuko's eyebrows rose even higher as he looked down at Aang and despite himself, he grinned. "You're lying?" He wondered.

"No! I'm not lying. She's making it all up!" He yelled angrily.

"Wrong answer, yet again!" She sighed. "Now, you better make out or Katara's only a couple of feet away." Toph warned. "Oh and no funny business." She added as Aang attempted to shove Zuko off of him.

"Let's just get this over with." The fire bender murmured to Aang but his words only served to incense him even more.

"You idiot! It's your fault we're even in this situation!" He hollered angrily. "And just because you're gay, it doesn't mean that I am too." He continued.

"Wrong answer, yet _again_!" Toph said loudly. "Jeez, stop lying, Twinkle Toes." She said in a mock tired voice.

"Aang! Just please, okay? Do you want Katara to kill you?" Zuko muttered forcefully.

"I'd rather have her kill me than kiss _you_!" The air bender spat out angrily.

"Okay, you know what, Twinkles?" Toph said thoughtfully as she abruptly stood up. "I'm just gonna go tell Katara since this is getting kinda boring." She said with a sneer.

"What?" Aang spluttered.

"Okay, that's it." Zuko hissed in frustration and the next thing Aang knew the fire bender's lips were on his and he could hear Toph cackling in the background. The air bender lashed out wildly but the next thing he knew, Zuko had slammed him hard against the wall and then, two bands of earth were restraining his arms. Aang wrenched himself away and turned his fiery gaze to Toph. "THAT'S CHEATING!" He hollered but his words ended in a groan as Zuko moved down to his neck.

"This...is...r-rape.." Aang managed to gasp out as Zuko's tongue slid across his neck, his teeth biting down on his pulse point and eliciting a moan from the air bender.

"It's not rape if you're enjoying it, Twinkles." Toph said in a sing-song voice. However, her amusement abruptly came to an end as Zuko pulled away.

"That's enough, Toph." He said as he apologetically looked down at a dazed Aang.

"What, noooo!" The earth bender whined but was cut off as Zuko stomped forward.

"_I said that's enough_." Zuko hissed firmly. "Let him go."

Toph pouted up at him for several seconds before sighing and jerking her wrist backwards, allowing the bands to disappear back into the earthen wall.

"What is WRONG with you?" Aang demanded angrily as he stomped towards Zuko.

"HEY!" Zuko hollered angrily as Aang aimed a punch at his face. "I only did it so that crazy water bending bitch wouldn't castrate us both!" He retorted.

A few seconds passed in silence before Toph clamped her hand on her mouth and burst out laughing.

"Don't call Katara a bitch!" Aang hollered and somehow, that only served to amuse Toph even more.

"Ohh, holy shit.." Toph practically screamed with mirth as she fell back on her chair.

"What's so FUNNY?" Aang demanded angrily.

"Oh, Zuko! You're too good!" Toph hollered as she stumbled towards them with a laugh.

"Shut up, Toph." Zuko mumbled as his cheeks flushed with color and he looked down at his feet.

"Oh, Twinkles. Do you even know what castrate means?" Toph asked as she leaned against Zuko with a laugh.

"Uh, no?" He said uncertainly.

"OOOH, this is too GOOD!" Toph managed to choke out as she almost bent over double laughing.

"Why? What does it mean?" Aang asked worriedly.

"Oh Gosh! Zuko is so worried about your man parts! Isn't that _sweet_?" She cackled.

"What do you mean man pa-" Aang asked and then fell abruptly fell silent as his cheeks flushed red. "What does this have to do with that?" He demanded worriedly.

Zuko smacked a hand over his face while Toph clung to his arm, wave upon wave of laughter shaking her thin frame. "Look, never mind." The fire bender hastily said as he practically shoved Toph off his shoulder and made his way towards the back door.

"Zuko!" Aang said loudly.

"What?" The fire bender snapped as he turned on his heel to glare at the fire bender. In truth, Aang didn't even know why he had said his name. Maybe it was because he wanted to yell at Zuko some more or demand to know what castrate meant but the words died on his lips as those golden eyes clouded over with anger.

"What are you going to do?" He asked hesitantly.

"About what?" The fire bender snapped impatiently.

"The telling everyone you're gay thing." Aang said in a small voice. He flinched as Zuko glared even harder at him but the fire bender, instead of saying something, flung open the back door and disappeared into the teashop before slamming it hard behind him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Aang wondered with a frown.

"Probably that he doesn't know yet." Toph said with a shrug.

"But-" Aang spluttered.

"Look, Twinkles, I don't know what the hell is going on here and frankly, I don't care. Just don't pressure Zuko or you know, he'll just explode." She said lightly before sauntering over to the back door. "I'll be expecting another make out session soon. This one was hardly satisfactory." She trilled and before Aang could even open his mouth, she disappeared into the teashop.

The air bender frowned deeply as he stood there for a few minutes before making his way back into the teashop.

* * *

"Hey, Aang. Where's Zuko?" Sokka asked when a half hour had passed since the air bender and Toph had come into Iroh's apartment.

"I thought he came back here..." Aang said with a shrug.

"I thought he was with you guys?" Sokka said suspiciously.

"Who knows?..." Aang said nonchalantly as he returned to browsing Iroh's book collection.

"What do you mean, who knows?" Suki piped up. "Aren't you worried about him?" She wondered.

"He can take care of himself." Aang said tersely.

"Did you guys have a fight?" Katara suddenly asked as she sat up.

The tone of her voice made Aang stiffen and it took all of his urge not to break something, right then and there. "That would make you happy, wouldn't it?" He muttered bitterly but everyone still heard it.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She snapped defensively.

A few minutes passed in silence before the air bender abruptly broke it. "I'm going out for a walk." Aang said slowly as he glanced once at her before stalking towards the door.

"Be careful, Twinkles." Toph called.

* * *

By the time Aang finally reached the building, night had fallen over Ba Sing Se. The air around that particular structure seemed to be reverberating with sound and he could feel the ground underneath his feet thrumming as the sound waves traveled through it. Aang didn't even know why he was here but there was this nagging feeling at the very back of his head which told him that Zuko was right there, in that building. He was sure that the fire bender didn't drink very often but the defeat in his eyes and the obvious turmoil etched into his face convinced Aang that this was one of the nights that Zuko would let go.

And for some reason, he felt like doing just that.

So, without a moment's hesitation, he earth bended a door out of the wall in front of him and a few steps led him into the gay bar where Miyako Suzuri had dumped them earlier. With a slide of his foot, the earth repaired itself and he hesitantly took a step forward. Unfortunately for Aang, he found himself at the very edge of the dance floor, with the whole of it to cross before the bar. As he pushed his way through the sea of bodies, the air bender tried not to cringe at the wandering hands. Apparently the colorful lights and semi-darkness concealed the fact that he was probably half the age of most of the people in that club.

Trying not to screech as he felt a hand brush against his crotch, Aang stumbled out of the dance area and dazedly made his way to the bar. The air inside the club was most definitely thrumming with energy now, the scent of sweat, sex and vomit suffocating him. He clamped a hand over his nose and let his gaze rove over the entire bar as he looked for Zuko's shaggy mop of hair and Fire Nation attire. It took him a few minutes and he had to walk around the circular bar several times but he finally spotted the fire bender, half slumped against the bar and obviously drunk. The sight made Aang snicker a bit but what he saw next made the smile slip right off his face.

Because standing next to Zuko was a guy seeming to be about eighteen or twenty. His hand was on the fire bender's waist and his tongue?...

Well, it was very much in Zuko's mouth.

* * *

_Dun, Dun, Dun, Dun! :O Bad Zuko!_

_Although, I have to say that for now, I'm a very happy kid ^_^ I really, really, really, really loved all the reviews even though they were short :D So, I am officially out of the threat phase and officially, in the have-no-time-but-will-still-write-bcoz-i'm-suddenly-in-love-with-my-readers phase XD  
Honestly, I didn't think that would work but yay! :P_

_And for those who're wondering how I get a chapter out everyday, hmmmm, magic? :P  
Jk, it's procrastination that does the trick :D_

_And I officially heart all of you xD! *runs out of cookies* :O  
Btw, if this chappie turned out kinda crappy in the start, well, I didn't know what to do and also had no time since my mother and sister were raiding my closet and throwing all my favorites tees in the garbage :'[ so I just added in Toph and castration :PP  
Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to review! :D If you do, I shall try my best-est to update every day, despite the note on my profile :P_

_-Jade258_


	13. Part XIII: The Filthy Mouthed Avatar

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XIII  
The Filthy-Mouthed Avatar **

Despite the fact that Aang's hand had fallen to his side and the unbearable stench hanging in the air was invading his senses and despite the fact that his mouth was hanging wide open, he could not tear his gaze away from Zuko and the stranger. What was he _doing_?

Aang vaguely wondered if he and Zuko really looked that repulsive while kissing but maybe it was just the head of fair hair on the stranger's head that made the air bender cringe. He balled his hands into fists as Zuko pulled away for a second, downed a drink and then resumed with his make out session. The blonde's hand not too discreetly slid down to the waistband of the fire bender's pants and it took all of Aang's willpower not to air bend the little bastard into the street. Which was ironic since, in this particular situation, he was much littler.

The air bender gaped as Zuko allowed the man to fondle him through his pants and then, Aang flinched as the blonde's gaze flicked towards him, the green eyes locking onto his. He wondered if the fire bender had been talking about him to the stranger because a wave of recognition and then smug distaste flashed through his green eyes before he once again ducked his head and captured Zuko's lips with his. Aang gasped as someone bumped hard into him and one hand instinctively reached out to grasp the counter.

When he looked up next, the stranger grabbed Zuko by the scruff of his neck and practically began to haul him towards the staircases that led into the upper stories into the building. But try as hard as he might, Aang couldn't get his limbs to obey and that issue merely intensified as Zuko's head suddenly snapped towards him. His heart jumped for a second but then the fire bender's gaze slid over him, towards the bar.

And then he was gone with the blonde and Aang had dashed away from there as fast as he could.

* * *

The door almost flew off his hinges as Aang blasted it open with his air bending. Anger pulsed through his veins and his jaw was tight with rager as he shoved aside the beaded curtains and stomped into the living room.

"Where's Zuko?" Toph asked promptly.

"I don't _care_ where he is." Aang spat out venomously as he made his way to the window and violently flung it open.

"Wow. What'd Fire Lord Zuko do to make the great pacifist Avatar inflict pain on a window glass?" Toph drawled, her voice practically dripping with boredom.

"Shut up, Toph." He hissed angrily as he leaned against the window sill and exhaled sharply.

"What's wrong?" She said quietly.

"Nothing! Nothing's wrong. Just go back to sleep or whatever it was you were doing." Aang said through gritted teeth.

And as if things couldn't get any more annoying, Katara appeared from the kitchen, balancing a tray laden with plates in her hand. "Hi, Aang. Back already?" She said monotonously. However, the air bender couldn't help but notice that she seemed much more happier when she spoke next. "I see Zuko's not back yet. Did he get lost?" She asked innocently.

Aang didn't bother to reply, his fists opening and closing as he breathed through his nose. "Okay, Twinkles. You _really_ need to calm down." Toph said worriedly.

"What's wrong?" Katara asked suspiciously.

"His heart's going crazy." The earth bender murmured.

"H-he... that _bastard_!" Aang suddenly said as he turned around to face them. "First he does _that _to me and now? Now, he's in a stupid _bar_ with some _stupid blonde player._" The air bender said, his voice barely more than a deadly whisper.

"What? What did he do to you?" Katara demanded but Toph merely gaped at him.

"Sparky? In a bar?" She wondered in alarm. "When did that happen?"

"I don't care when it happened. _If I'm gay then so are you_." Aang said in a horrible imitation of Zuko's voice. "That..." He said and several rather colorful swearwords followed, causing Katara to let out a gasp and Toph to gape even more.

"Aang! What is wrong with you?" She admonished.

"Not a good time, Katara..." Toph murmured just as Aang exploded.

"ME? What's wrong with ME? What's WRONG with ZUKO? He's out in some bar FUCKING a stranger barely an hour after he..." Aang hollered angrily and then abruptly came to a stop as he realized that he had said 'fuck' and also that he had almost confided in Katara that they had made out.

"Zuko's in a bar? Fucking someone? Shit!" Toph said and Aang did not miss the underlying giddiness in her voice.

"Aang! What did Zuko do to you?" Katara demanded. "Did he rape you? Did he come on to you?"

"Just leave me ALONE!" Aang hollered and a deathly silence fell in the living room as his air bender's tattoos momentarily glowed, more brightly than Katara had ever seen them glow, before dying out again.

"Aang! Are you o-" Katara began worriedly but was cut off as Aang brought his fist down on Iroh's table.

"Enough!" He said loudly, his cheeks flushing red with anger. "That's enough, Katara. Just be _quiet_." He demanded in a very unAang-like voice.

"But-" Katara persisted but her sentence ended in a shriek as Toph suddenly latched onto her arm.

"Shut up, Sugar Queen." She hissed at her before turning to Aang. "Just calm down, Twinkles. We'll leave you alone now." She said quietly before practically hauling Katara out of the living room. As they disappeared from sight, the door to Iroh's room slid open and the fire bender stepped out.

"What a large amount of noise, Avatar Aang." He exclaimed as the air bender sat down on the floor next to the window.

"I'm sorry. I just...got a little angry." He said shakily as he pulled his knees up to his chest and rested his chin on them.

"May I ask why?" Iroh asked politely as he pulled up a chair and sat down beside the air bender.

"It's nothing." Aang mumbled.

"You're crying." The fire bender stated simply and Aang jerked back in surprise.

"No, I'm not." He said defiantly.

"You're right. You're not. But you're about to." Iroh said humorously and despite himself, Aang's lips twitched at the silly joke. "Now, what could make someone like you cry?" The old fire bender wondered.

"It's..." Aang began and then uncertainly glanced up at Iroh. Something in his golden eyes told him that he already knew. "Zuko." He mumbled as he looked away.

"What has my dear nephew done this time?" Iroh asked.

"It's kind of...his business?" Aang ventured weakly. "It's not really my place to tell."

"Well, that's not what I gathered from your rather loud proclamations just now." Iroh said merrily and Aang found himself blushing.

"Aren't you angry that he's off with some..." _guy?_ "one. That's he's off with someone when he should really be...I don't know. He has a girlfriend, doesn't he?" Aang mumbled miserably.

"Well, that depends on what you mean when you say that he's _off with someone_." Iroh said slyly.

Aang hastily looked away, feeling like he would blush even more if he looked Iroh in the eye. "I can't say..." He mumbled guiltily.

"You did say it earlier." Iroh pointed out with a smile.

"Yeah, well. That was different. I was angry." He muttered.

"Well either way, Avatar Aang, you can rest assured that Zuko will have both of us to deal with in the morning." Iroh said with a chuckle as he stood up. "Why don't you and your friends stay here for the night? It's a little late to be wandering the streets now." The fire bender said with a smile.

Aang looked up at him with a strained smile. "Yes, thank you. Sokka and Suki are probably already asleep." He murmured, noticing that he hadn't seen the two of them ever since entering the house.

"Indeed, they are. I would suggest that you get some sleep as well." Iroh said as he got up and waddled over to his bedroom. "Good night, Avatar Aang." He called as he slid the door shut.

"Good night, Uncle Iroh." Aang replied and with a flick of his wrists, all the candles in the room flickered and then went out. In the semi-darkness of the room, it didn't take long for the air bender to fall asleep.

* * *

Zuko almost tripped over his own feet as he leaned heavily against the wall of the staircase leading up to Iroh's apartment. His head was splitting with pain and in the sunlight flitting in through the small windows lining the walls, he could barely see straight. Every sound seemed to be magnified and it was taking every ounce of his will power to climb those steps. Ten minutes passed and he finally slid open the door to Iroh's apartment, which had been considerately left open for him.

However, his attempts at discretion were ruined as he stumbled forward and fell flat onto his face in the hallway. Barely an inch away from his head was a pair of shoes that looked distinctly like Aang's and he was sure now that the blanket sprawled on the floor of the doorway had been placed their on purpose. And he had rather unwittingly fallen for it all.

"Hey, Aang." He said weakly as he rolled over onto his back and dizzily smiled up at the air bender. However, his smile faltered as Aang's expression remained stony and he folded his arms across his chest. "Have fun with your new friend?" He asked scathingly.

"What new friend?" Zuko murmured as he closed his eyes. However, they snapped wide open as Aang stomped over to stand in front of him.

"The one who was _groping_ you last night." Aang said exasperatedly.

Zuko's eyes narrowed suspiciously and he sat up. "What's it to you?" He snapped, blindly placing a hand on the wall beside him as he felt himself losing his balance. "And anyway, what were you doing there? It's a bar." He said scathingly.

"That sure didn't stop you." Aang retorted.

"Aang, you're twelve. I'm way more mature than you." Zuko said condescendingly as he managed to haul himself to his feet.

"Yeah, mature enough to have sex with a guy who was surely five years older than you." Aang hissed angrily and Zuko faltered, his face flushing red with color as he looked away.

"Who gave you the right to spy on me?" Zuko growled as he advanced towards the air bender.

"You know, Zuko. You're the biggest hypocrite I've ever known. First you kiss me and then you run off to some blond wierdo who's probably just playing you." Aang said angrily.

"HEY!" Zuko yelled and the air bender flinched as he stomped towards him. "You're the one who was having a nervous breakdown when I did kiss you. And now you think we should give it another shot and run off into the sunset playing boyfriend-girlfriend?" Zuko hissed, his face contorting with rage as he shoved the air bender against the door.

"That has _nothing_ to do with this. The point is that you have a girlfriend and even if you did suddenly come to the divine revelation that you're gay, then you should at least have the decency to break it off with her." Aang hollered in his face.

"Oh, please, Aang! You're the one who was moaning and squirming like some slut against the wall, just yesterday so don't talk to me about decency!" Zuko retorted angrily.

A few seconds passed in silence and Zuko saw the air bender's eyes cloud over with anger. "_What_ did you just call me?" He whispered dangerously.

"A slut." Zuko hissed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed." He said and with one last hard shove, he left Aang slumped against the door.

* * *

Toph jerked awake just as a loud crash and thump followed by a pain-filled yell echoed throughout the apartment. She could hear thundering footsteps as Katara practically bounded out of the room and at once followed.

Practically blasting the door open, the two of them stumbled into the doorway, neatly avoiding a lamp that came flying their way. Right in the middle of the living room lay Zuko, Aang firmly sitting on his chest. The air bender's fist was streaked with blood and beneath him, the fire bender's breathing was erratic, blood running down his face in little rivulets and something that looked vaguely like a tooth was floating in the pool of crimson liquid rapidly accumulating beside his head..

"ME? THE SLUT? _YOU'RE _THE SLUT HERE. _YOU'RE_ THE ONE WHO RUNS AROUND. HAVING. _SEX_. WITH. STRANGERS. IN. BARS." Aang's voice yelled, his fist connecting solidly with Zuko's stomach and face with each word.

"Aang! Stop." Zuko managed to choke out but his words ended in a groan of pain as Aang landed a neat punch onto his stomach.

"Twinkes! What is WRONG with you?" Toph yelled as she sensed both of their thundering hearts and the erratic pumping of blood through Zuko's system.

"Aang! Stop it. You're hurting him!" Katara admonished as she rushed over to the two of them.

"That's the point!" Aang growled as he landed one last punch on Zuko's face.

"Enough!" A voice suddenly rumbled through the room, successfully scaring Aang into silence. "What is going on here?" Iroh snapped as he waddled over to Zuko and Aang.

"Twinkes, come here right this second." Toph demanded and the air bender dazedly obliged.

"Avatar Aang. It is one thing to insult my nephew but to physically assault him. In my home? That is completely dishonorable." Iroh said gravely as he placed his finger onto Zuko's pulse point.

"I can heal him." Katara offered as she snatched her water-skin from the dining table and kneeled beside Zuko. Several minutes passed in silence before Aang suddenly stumbled over to the fire bender, his eyes confused.

"What is wrong with you, Aang?" Katara snapped as he joined her.

"He- I...I d-don't know what came... over me." Aang mumbled as he buried his face in his hands.

Beside him, Zuko murmured something inaudible and Aang miserably leaned in to listen.: "What?" He mumble. Several seconds passed in silence and the fire bender's voice was pained when he said:

"I...d-didn't have sex with...him."

* * *

_Uh-oh. Silly Aang xD  
Since you've all been such fantabulous reviewers, a nice little sneak peek for you all ^_^_

_"I feel that you and Zuko have too many issues. Too many things left unsaid. So, you two will be temporarily moving into my apartment so that you can figure a few things in private, without any...hesitation."  
-Iroh to Aang_

_Well, isn't that exciting? x] So, don't forget to review since I sense lots of lemon-scented yumminess in the near future :P And thank you sooo much for the reviews! :DDDDDDD Lol, though I hope you like how I made everything turn out...Sorry there's no Avatar state xP_

_AND OMFG, ALMOST A 100 REVIEWS! YAAAAAAAAAAAY! XD In celebration of that, how about we all go crazy..Go on, abuse that little blue (or is it green o.o) button :P!_

_**IRapeLlamas**: Lol, sorry I didn't reply earlier but I saw that video and it was fucking HILARIOUS! Lmfao, especially that part: 'what does it matter to me what you do in bed with guys!" and that paired up with Jet's perverted grin. Classssicc! Lmfao! Thank you so much for recommending it to me. It made my day XDD_

_I really suggest that you guys see that video too xD Its called 'If Zuko was Gay' ^_^_

_-Jade258_


	14. Part XIV: Bandages

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XIV  
Bandages **

Aang paced back and forth across the hospital waiting area, his hands shaking with exertion. Somehow when Zuko had said those six words, Katara had figured at least half of it out and so had stormed into her room, leaving the fire bender lying in the middle of the room. Not long after, he had slipped into unconsciousness and Toph earth bended him over to the hospital, knocking about a hundred people over on the way. It was excruciating, having to know that Zuko was lying, practically half beaten to death in a stupid hospital bed because of him. "I'm so stupid!" He groaned miserably as he sank down to the floor beside the wall and placed his head in his hands.

But then, it wasn't his fault that Zuko had chosen to relay the very crucial fact that he had _not_ slept with the blondie, till the very end. Yeah, it was justified.

Sort of?

Aang hated to admit it but Mai had nothing to do with the fact that he had been so angry. Heck, he couldn't care less about Mai. But then, if he admitted that he'd have to admit that he had been jealous. And even that was pushing it a bit. So, Aang had resorted to brooding on endless possibilities to console himself. Very few had worked.

A tired sigh slipped through Aang's lips and one look towards the window told him that the sun was setting. Zuko had been in there for far too long.

Aang was on the verge of frustration yet again when the door in front of him was flung open and he jerked upright as Toph and Iroh stepped out. "How is he?" Aang demanded worriedly.

"Well, nothing too bad..." Iroh said.

Aang's eyebrows rose and he uncertainly glanced at him. Toph must have sensed something because with an exaggerated sigh, she began. "Two broken teeth, dislocated jaw, cracked rib, slight internal bleeding and a broken nose." she said. "Katara healed most of it though."

Aang paled and Iroh, noticing his expression came and sat down beside him. "I've come to a decision, Avatar Aang." Iroh began calmly and the air bender flinched involuntarily as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "I feel that you and Zuko have too many issues. Too many things left unsaid. So, you two will be temporarily moving into my apartment so that you can figure a few things in private, without any...hesitation." Iroh said slyly.

Aang's eyebrows rose and he stared dumbly at Iroh. "I'm sorry but what exactly do you mean 'things left unsaid'?" He asked scathingly. "And besides, I don't want to figure anything out with him."

Iroh opened his mouth to speak but Toph stopped him with a loud cough. "By 'things left unsaid' he generally means all the proclamations of the undying love you hold for each other. And when he says figure out a few things in private, he means you can have sex without Katara barging in on you." She said sarcastically.

"What?" Aang squealed as his face flushed a bright red.

"Ah, yes, always the joker." Iroh said with a chuckle, even though he seemed just as alarmed as Aang. "I assure you, Avatar Aang, that my words do not imply that I expect you two to...fornicate. I just think it would be healthy if you got a few things out in the open, sat down and discussed them. Perhaps you can help my nephew to see just what good lies in admitting to his people that he is gay." He said reassuringly.

"Fornicate..." Toph breathed in amusement and then snickered behind her hand, earning herself a wary look from Iroh which she didn't see.

"I'm not so sure that's such a good idea, Uncle Iroh. I...just don't think it'd be particularly...healthy for us to be around each other just yet." He said sheepishly.

"How so?" Iroh wondered slyly.

"Aang's afraid Zuko's gonna jump him." Toph generously supplied.

Aang tiredly rubbed the back of his neck and warily looked up at Toph. "It's not that..." He began uncertainly and then paused. "I just don't think we should be around each other. I mean, I don't even know why I hit Zuko. It was uncontrollable, sort of." He said with a shrug. "I just don't want anything like that to happen again." He mumbled.

"Then all the more reason for you two to stay together for a while. It will help you to quell these fears and you can help Zuko heal." Iroh said merrily.

"Heal? I can't heal." Aang said flatly.

"I don't mean that kind of healing." Iroh said and Aang waited for him to elaborate. When he did not follow up his words with anything else, the air bender sighed. "Fine, then." He said monotonously.

"Wonderful. We should be able to move Sparky out of the hospital tonight and Sugar Queen can drop by every now and then to heal him." Toph said impatiently as soon as Aang answered.

"Katara won't heal him. She's too angry." He said with a frown.

"How about you take one psycho at a time?" Toph said firmly. "I'll take care of Katara."

"Fine." Aang said tiredly as he stood up and brushed off his clothes. "I'm going home." He begrudgingly stated and then turning on his heel, made his way towards the main doors.

"Wow, he really is upset." Toph murmured as the sound of the air bender's footfalls faded away.

* * *

The next morning when Aang woke up, he refused to open his eyes for the first ten minutes. He could feel a very distinct presence in the living room and he had to fight off the urge to groan as he finally opened his eyes. He saw that Zuko had had the decency to keep the curtains drawn and Aang reluctantly sat up. Frustration poked at him and he calmly let out a breath before pushing himself off the futon.

"You have to do it sometime." He firmly told himself and then, slid open the door.

Light flooded the dark room and Aang merely stood there for several seconds, his gray eyes nervously studying Zuko who was sprawled haphazardly on the couch. "Won't you put strain on your body that way?" He blurted out before he even knew what he was saying.

The fire bender's eyes fluttered open and he disinterestedly turned his head to look at Aang, his golden eyes boring into the air bender's gray ones. "You mean more strain than you put on it?" He said scathingly.

Frowning, Aang spoke. "I was just..." He said uncertainly.

"Trying to compensate?" Zuko asked, his lips curving into a disdainful smile as he stared at Aang. "Go away, Aang. I don't need your pity." He said and then, let his eyes slide shut again.

"I wasn't pitying you. I was being courteous!" He burst out indignantly.

"Whatever." Zuko muttered.

Aang sighed dejectedly and then slipped into the kitchen, his tattooed hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck.

_today's going to be a long, long day..._

_

* * *

_"Here, I made breakfast." Aang said brightly as Zuko entered the kitchen.

"I don't want it." He managed to say and the air bender did not notice as the fire bender's fingers curled tightly around the door frame.

"Don't be an idiot, Zuko." Aang said as he scowled at the fire bender.

"I will be an idiot. Now shut up." He growled as he stumbled over to the cabinets, his hands shaking slightly.

"You could at least _try_ to be nice. I've already told you I'm sorry." Aang said stiffly as the fire bender threw open the cabinet doors and violently rummaged inside.

"Aang!" Zuko yelled. "Just shut up." He hissed.

The air bender suspiciously stared at him and then as Zuko raised his arm to reach the top shelf, he gasped. "You're bleeding." He said worriedly.

Zuko did not reply and instead, pushed aside the contents of the cabinet even more violently. "Uh, Zuko?" Aang tentatively called.

No reply and the only sounds in the room were those of Zuko's heavy breathing and the occasional thump as he knocked aside a bottle.

"ZUKO!" Aang yelled exasperatedly as he stomped his foot on the ground.

Still no reply. Instead, the fire bender reached down to clutch his blood soaked shirt, his head bowed in pain. "Fine, then. Don't say I didn't try to tell you." Aang snapped and before the fire bender could even move a limb, a hand closed around his wrist and the next thing, he knew, his shirt was on the floor.

"What the hell are you doing?" Zuko yelled, his voice rising several octaves higher from both the pain and the shock.

"I was trying to tell you that Iroh gave me the bandages last night." Aang snapped, his brow furrowing in concentration as he pushed aside Zuko's arms.

"I don't need your help." The fire bender said coldly.

"And I don't need to clean your blood of the floors." Aang said quietly as he flicked open a water-skin and bended the water onto Zuko's abdomen.

"No one's asking you to clean the blood off the floor." The fire bender snapped, his back subconsciously arching into the feeling of cold water against his heated skin.

Aang did not reply and instead, continued to clean off the blood before bending the water back into the water-skin again. The fire bender slumped tiredly against the wall as Aang's nimble fingers hurriedly unrolled the bandages. He was vaguely aware of the feeling of the smooth material against his skin and deeply exhaled, trying to calm down his racing heart.

A few seconds passed in silence and Aang's voice was barely more than a murmur when he said: "I'm sorry."

Zuko's eyes shot wide open and he gaped down at the air bender, his eyebrows disappearing into the black locks hanging into his face. "Huh?" He echoed stupidly.

"I said I'm sorry." Aang said, a small frown dawning on his lips as he reached behind Zuko to pull the bandage across. The fire bender was distracted as, for a second, Aang's clothed chest pressed against his own but managed to shake himself out of his sudden loss of composure just as the air bender leaned back again.

"For what?" Zuko asked dazedly.

Aang's jaw tightened with anger and he let his hands fall to his side as he frowned. "You don't have to make fun of me, Zuko." He snapped.

"No, I wasn't making...fun of you." Zuko breathed quietly.

A long silence followed and then, Aang sharply exhaled. "Well?" He exasperatedly cried.

"What?" Zuko wondered as his brow furrowed in puzzlement.

"Well, do you forgive me? For hitting you?" Aang demanded.

Zuko paused for a second and then: "Only if you tell me why you hit me in the first place."

Aang bristled and then frowned again. "You called me a slut." He growled.

"You were angry before that." Zuko flatly pointed out.

"You were being an idiot and treating me like I was a five year old." Aang said scathingly.

Zuko skeptically raised an eyebrow. "For one, Katara and Toph do that all the time. And secondly, my reasoning was justified. You're nowhere near old enough to be in a bar." He said firmly and Aang jumped as his hand curled around his collar. "Tell me the truth."

"Let me go." Aang said as he felt a blush creeping up his neck.

"Tell me the truth." Zuko replied calmly.

"No!" Aang said forcefully.

"Why? How embarrassing could it really be Aang? I got beaten up and put in the hospital by a twelve year old. Granted, you're the Avatar but you didn't even use any bending. Secondly, you saw me have a drunk make out session with some stranger. If you ask me, that's what's _really_ embarrassing." Zuko said tersely.

"I-..That's not the point!" Aang burst out exasperatedly, his blush deepening even further as Zuko pulled him closer.

"If you tell me, we're even." He said quietly.

"Look, Zuko. Your reasons are just embarrassing. Mine are mortifying and humiliating and I can't even believe I ever thought such a thing. So, just let me GO!" Aang yelled.

Zuko stared at him for several seconds and then, the fire bender's lips twitched into an uncharacteristically amused smile. "Oh, Agni. I get it." He said slowly, and Aang felt his breath ghost on his cheek.

"You do?" The air bender said, his blush deepening as Zuko pulled him even closer, their noses almost touching now.

"You were jealous, weren't you?" He breathed teasingly.

"W-what? NO!" Aang spluttered indignantly.

Zuko's grin, however, widened even further and he pulled Aang close, their lips barely centimeters away from each others. "You're blushing." He murmured.

"So are you." Aang pointed out as he looked away.

"Not as much as you." Zuko said.

"Let me go." Aang said stiffly.

"You never do stop, do you? With the denial?" Zuko drawled.

"You're one to talk. You can't even admit to yourself that you're gay." Aang said scathingly.

But to his surprise, Zuko chuckled. "Did I forget to tell you?" He began thoughtfully. "It turns out that I _am_ gay." He said in a display of mock thoughtfulness.

Aang faltered and that was all that Zuko required. With the kind of agility and speed that an injured person should not have possessed, he switched their spots and Aang gasped as he pushed him up against the wall. He opened his mouth to speak but unfortunately for him, Zuko chose that precise moment to crash his lips onto his.

Aang couldn't even believe, how every single time, he ended up with an open mouth while Zuko did whatever he wanted to him. Well, he would show him. It was just his luck, therefore, that as he chose to lean forward, Zuko pulled away and he was left looking like a guilty little five-year old caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Aang stared up at Zuko in surprise but as the fire bender's lips curved into an almost feral grin, he pressed his back flat against the wall again.

Aang expected him to say something but instead, with a satisfied smile on his lips, he pulled away. "I'll make you admit that you were jealous, Aang. You can be sure of that." He said.

"Yeah, right." The air bender spat out angrily.

"I have a whole week. You'll break." He said simply and then pulled away. He stooped down to grab his shirt from the floor and then without bothering to put it on, slipped out of the kitchen.

And Aang found a blush creeping up his neck as his traitorous gaze followed the fire bender until he disappeared from sight.

* * *

_x]x]x]x]x]x]x]x] Haha, bad Aang!_

_To** Vine Verrine**: Well, typically, I would say that if you don't like it, then don't read it but I can admit that you have a point. Maybe some of it is senseless, but I can pretty much tell just by the way you looked at everything in such detail, that we both are in completely different leagues as writers xD I appreciate the criticism, lol, and I'll admit that, no :P i didn't do any research xD  
Trust me, this story is just meant to make people laugh...You honestly don't have to take it so seriously.  
Btw; that is the friggin largest review I've ever seen xP  
**artemiswood15**: Hm, its been more than 48 hrs :P I hope you didn't do anything bad xD and thank youu!  
Lol, thank you so much for the reviews, you all! I really appreciate them ^_^ Lol, though I didn't think that the thought of Aang beating the shit out of Zuko would appeal so much to you guys lol, but I'm glad it did xD_

_Hmm, and don't forget to revieeww! And hurray for CHP 13 since it got the most amount of reviews!  
Remember, reviews keep me happy! :P  
Btw, I was thinking that I might bring back On The sands Of Time just as soon as I've got the rest of this story figured out :D_

_Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to review! :D_

_-Jade258 _


	15. Part XV: The Breakdown

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XV  
The Breakdown**

Aang quietly fiddled his fingers, his gaze nervously darting around the kitchen in his discomfort. Somehow, he had ended up being the one who had to do everything. He had to wash Zuko's blood-soaked clothes, he had to give him his medicine, he had to tend to his bandages and he had to cook. He had to put the fire bender to bed after giving him his herbal tea. Heck, Aang was even supposed to bring him breakfast in bed when he was too tired to move. Admittedly, the air bender had brought it upon himself but breakfast-in-bed?

That was uneasy territory for Aang.

For some reason, he viewed it only as a romantic gesture.

So grumbling, he decided to make Zuko something so disgusting that he would get up himself and make something. Either that or it could backfire and Aang could end up getting fried. Who knew?

Still, he thought that it might work so with a frown, he heaved up the tray and hastily balanced it as the glass of juice began to slide to one side. A little amount sloshed onto the tray but ignoring it, the air bender hurriedly made his way to Zuko's room. He bristled at the threshold to the room and then with determination etched across his face, entered.

The fire bender was, once again, sprawled across the bed and now, Aang got the sneaking suspicion that he did it only to annoy him.

"You'll get blood on the sheets again." The air bender snapped as he slammed the tray onto the floor beside Zuko's bed.

"So?" Zuko murmured as he turned onto his back.

"I'm the one who has to clean it." He said scathingly.

"So?" He repeated with raised eyebrows.

Aang's jaw tightened with irritation and he glared at Zuko for a second before kneeling and picking up the tray again. "Sit up." He ordered stiffly.

The fire bender smirked teasingly at him before doing as he was told. An almost inaudible groan of pain escaped his lips as he laboriously heaved himself up but Aang refused to help him. He would probably get weird ideas.

When, after a few seconds of heavy breathing and groans, Zuko did sit up, Aang straightened the sheets on his lap and then set the tray on top of it. "Enjoy." He said and then hurriedly turned away.

"You were jealous, weren't you?" Zuko abruptly said and Aang rolled his eyes. The fire bender's frequent outbursts and rather futile attempts at getting a straight answer out of Aang were beginning to get annoying and with a sigh, he turned back again.

"You know, Zuko. I've seen the condition you're in and it would pain me to beat you up even more. But that doesn't mean I won't do it. So, could you please stop it already?" He said coldly.

"You won't beat me up." Zuko said as he luxuriously stretched his arms above his head. "You're a pacifist, a monk and the Avatar." He pointed out flatly.

"Don't stretch! You'll open the wounds!" Aang promptly said.

"So?" Zuko challenged with raised eyebrows.

Aang sighed quietly and instead of replying, just stared pointedly at the tray. "Eat or do I have to force-feed you?"

"That would be fun." He said with a grin and Aang gaped at him.

"You're beginning to scare me." He said with a scowl.

"Oh? That wasn't the reaction I was hoping for." He said brightly.

"Stop acting like this, Zuko. You're beginning to sound like a pervert." He cried exasperatedly.

"Oops...I was aiming for seductive." He said with an uncharacteristically cheesy wink and Aang smacked a hand over his face.

"I'm going to get Toph to set you straight. You've gone crazy." He growled under his breath and turned away.

He had almost made his way out the door when Zuko spoke again, all signs of humor and playfulness gone from his voice. "I'll stop if you admit you were jealous." He suggested seriously.

Aang merely sighed tiredly and slipped out of the room before slamming the door shut behind him. He had barely made his way halfway across the living room, however, when loud knocks, rapid and insistent issued from the front door.

Groaning, Aang trudged over to the door and flung it open, ready to tell whoever it was to go away. However, he paused as his gray eyes met Katara's. Dislike of the most intense kind was reflected there and Aang tried not to flinch as her expression hardened.

"Jeez, Twinkles! Do you have to take so long?" Toph loudly said as she shoved Katara aside and stomped into the house.

"What are you talking about? I barely took five seconds!" Aang loudly protested as he stood aside for Katara to enter.

With her chin tilted upwards, she stalked into the house and straight into Zuko's room. The air bender's expression fell and he half-heartedly shut the door. "Great..." He sighed quietly and then followed her into the room, Toph right on his heels.

"What's up, Sparky?" She said as she and Aang entered.

"Hi, Toph." Zuko said quietly and the air bender noticed that he was grimacing. Aang wasn't sure if it was from the food or the fact that Katara was trying to get his shirt off, but he decided to intervene.

"Wait, you'll loosen the bandages. Let me do it." He said as he stepped forward.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" She said scathingly and stung, the air bender drew back.

An uncomfortable silence fell and Aang was tempted to ask her just what that was supposed to mean but relented as he saw Zuko staring warningly at him. With a frown, the air bender reached out and Zuko willingly raised his arms into the air.

"I don't see why you have to take it off for him." He heard Katara mutter but ignoring her, Aang grabbed the hem and hurriedly pulled the shirt off.

"The wounds will open if I do it myself." Zuko said coldly as Katara glared at him. "And you obviously don't know how to do it."

Sighing tiredly to himself, Aang gently pushed Zuko forward and then began to unwrap the bandages around his stomach and chest. He could sense Katara's gaze boring into the back of his head and his fingers fumbled several times over the bandages as he tried to concentrate. Zuko would flinch every now and then as the air bender's fingers grazed roughly against the raw skin but managed to contain himself, biting down on his lip hard.

A few more minutes passed with Aang trying to get the bandages off and he had almost succeeded when Katara began to tap her foot on the floor. The air bender jumped, his fingers jerking forward onto the deep wound on Zuko's abdomen. He hissed in pain and Aang gasped as blood began to seep onto his fingers.

"Aang!" Zuko groaned irritably as the red liquid steadily dripped onto the sheets.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" He said hurriedly, his voice laced with panic.

"Stop, stop!" Zuko hissed as the air bender snatched up the bandages and began to reapply them. However, he had barely finished his sentence when Aang's hand once again grazed against the wound and a pained gasp escaped his lip.

Aang winced as if he had been physically assaulted and as he once again reached forward to tend to the wound, Zuko's hand landed firmly on his own. "It might surprise you, Aang, but I feel pain too!" He hissed, his fingers curling painfully around the air bender's wrist.

"I-okay. Let me go, I'll let Katara handle it." Aang said as his gaze nervously flicked down to their hands and then towards Katara.

However, the water bender's face was contorted with irritation and she stood there for several seconds, her blue eyes glaring at Aang and then Zuko. "I'm going to go get some water." She snapped violently and despite the fact that her water skin was attached firmly to her waist, she turned on her heel and stalked out of the room.

As she slammed the door shut behind her, Toph shook her head. "I don't know what she thinks is so romantic about you changing Sparky's bloody bandages." She said with a grin.

"Toph..." Aang said with a frown. "Be nice."

"And there you go again." She said with a sigh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Aang snapped irritably.

"I mean, that Katara's been nothing but rude to you for the past three days even though, technically you didn't do anything wrong since you're single and all. But despite that, you're still so desperate to please her." She said with a shake of her head.

Aang was vaguely aware of Zuko turning his head to look inquisitively at him but he merely ignored the fire bender and frowned at Toph. "Before anything else, Katara is my friend and my family. And there is nothing wrong with me defending her. You don't have to be so rude." He said irritably.

Toph paused for a second and thinking that he'd actually made a point, Aang turned back to Zuko with a triumphant grin when:

"If she's your family, then technically you being with her is incest." Toph said with a maniacal laugh.

Aang let out an enraged growl and was just about to open his mouth when Zuko firmly latched onto his forearm. "You should go talk to Katara." He said nonchalantly.

"What?" Aang asked as he disbelievingly looked down at Zuko.

"Yeah." He said as he slumped backwards onto his pillows

"But-" The air bender began.

"Aang, you said yourself that she's your family. You shouldn't let me come between you two." He said bitterly

"You're not coming between anyone! You're just as much as my family as she is!" He said indignantly.

"Incest again." Toph muttered and Aang exhaled sharply.

"Shut up, Toph!" He said, his cheeks flushing red as Zuko smirked up at him.

"That's nice, Aang, but go. Things might turn out better if you do." He said and as if to emphasize his point, he let his eyes slide shut.

The air bender stared down at him for several more seconds before uncertainly glancing at Toph. "Go, I'll take care of the blood." She said with a shrug.

"You won't even be able to see it." Aang pointed out.

"Doesn't matter. I'll just hit him all over until he screams." She said with a grin.

"Hurray..." Zuko said tiredly.

Smiling slightly, Aang dropped the bandages on the bed and hurried out of the room. One glance around the living room told him that Katara wasn't there so he slipped straight into the kitchen, only to come face to face with the water bender. The two stared at each other for a second before Aang uncomfortably cleared his throat and spoke.

"Uh, hi!" He said brightly.

"What do you want?" She asked coldly.

"I want to talk." He said, his expression faltering as she scoffed.

"Why don't you go talk to Zuko?" She snapped irritably.

Aang's face fell and he frowned. "That's unfair." He said quietly.

"Unfair?" She repeated, her eyebrows rising challengingly and Aang sensed that he'd gotten on a nerve. "You know what's unfair, Aang? You breaking up with me because of him is unfair. You living with him and obviously doing more than can be called friendly with him is unfair!" She said angrily.

"I didn't break up with you!" He protested indignantly. "You broke up with and besides this isn't about us and we both know it." Aang said stiffly.

"It isn't?" Katara snapped sarcastically.

"It isn't. Because you said yourself that you could do much more better than me. And I know what you think, Katara. You might think that I don't know you but I know you just as well as you know me. You think that being with someone younger than you makes you seem desperate. Isn't that what this is about?" Aang said angrily.

"I- No! That's ridiculous!" She said loudly but the air bender ignored her and continued.

"Or maybe its the fact that Zuko's much, much older than you and me, but it doesn't bother him. He doesn't mind-" Aang began angrily but sharply exhaled as he caught himself.

Katara's short moment of uncertainty ended and she instantaneously pounced on the air bender. "Mind what?" She demanded shrilly. "I knew there was more to this than there seemed to be. What are you doing, Aang? Have you been_ sleeping_ with him? Is that it?" She spat out indignantly.

"Katara!" Aang yelled as he stepped forward. "What is wrong with you?" He demanded angrily.

"ME? What's wrong with YOU? I've done nothing but YOU, you're probably having a wonderful time all alone with him here!" She said shrilly.

"That's enough, Katara!" Aang said angrily. "You're being completely unreasonable." He said seriously.

"No, I'm NOT. I'm being-"

"Stop, just stop, okay?" Aang suddenly said and before she could even move a limb, his hand closed around her wrist in a surprisingly strong grip and he steered her over to the table. His other hand closed around the back of a chair and ignoring Katara's protests, he violently pulled it out and practically forced her into it.

"Katara, please." He said quietly before pulling out another chair and sitting across from her.

"What?" She snapped viciously as he stared calmly at her.

"Why are you acting like this?" He asked sadly.

"Like what?" She asked sharply.

"Like a bitch." He said flatly and stung, the water bender drew back.

"What did-"

"At least, I'm being honest with you, Katara. You, on the other hand, even refuse to tell me what this is all about." He said disappointedly. "And yes, I know that its not because you want me back." He said flatly.

Katara faltered for a second and then scowled. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" She asked.

"You said you could do much better than me. And I agree. I'm hardly worth being fought over, especially romantically." Aang said with a wry smile.

"Don't try to make me feel guilty." She said angrily and looked away, although the gesture seemed almost half hearted.

"I'm being honest. Because that's what I think." Aang said with a small smile. A few more seconds passed in silence and then the air bender sighed tiredly. "Katara, please tell me why you're acting like this." He said tiredly.

"It's none of your business." She said flatly.

"Oh? I'm the one being given the cold shoulder and I'm the one who's apparently having sex with Zuko and it's still none of my business?" Aang echoed irritably.

"Look, Aang. You wouldn't understand." Katara said quietly as she leaned back in her chair.

A few seconds passed and then with a bitter smile, Aang stood up. "Thanks, Katara. You're just _such_ a great friend." He spat out sarcastically.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She retorted venomously.

"Just, forget it, okay?" He said coldly and then, he made his way to the door. Halfway through, however, he came to a halt and balled his hands into fists. "You know what I don't get, Katara? I defeated Ozai, I have the weight of the world resting on my shoulders, I've seen death and I've seen violence and I've lost all the family I've ever known. I'm a hundred years older than you and my spirit is the most strongest one there is. But you! You still refuse to acknowledge the fact that I'm the Avatar. _You refuse to stop treating me like a child_!" Aang yelled angrily as he turned to face her.

"You may think that I'm standing here, whining to you but you don't know ANYTHING! I live, everyday, knowing that if I hadn't disappeared thousands of lives could have been spared. I have to live with it. I have to live with the guilt of knowing that Zuko, who's barely even seventeen has to deal with the problems of three generations. He's just a teenager! And he has to solve every single problem which indirectly, is connected to me! So, DON'T tell me that I won't understand!" Aang hollered in her face.

"Aang!" Katara said, and even though her eyes shone with unshed tears, the air bender did not relent.

"I thought you were my best friend, Katara. I thought that even if I didn't tell you any of this before, you would understand. Isn't that what friends do?" Aang demanded angrily.

"Of course, Aang!" She said pleadingly.

"But what would _I_ know? I'm just a kid, right? And I'm just twelve. And worst of all, my friends can't even be honest with me!" Aang said bitterly and before the water bender could even open her mouth, he violently blasted the door to the kitchen open and stormed out.

* * *

_Yay for standing up to Katara! :P_

_Sorry for the delay but I was busy this past week in some training program my mom signed me up for. Lol, but its over now and I'm free! *is inexplicably happy* ^_^  
Anyway, thanks for the review! And what Zuko said about being gay, he wasn't really being serious. He was just trying to freak Aang out :P_

_But then...he sorta, kinda meant it xP_

_To **LEGOLASroxmysox**: Lol, yea, although I think I might have exaggerated and blown the injuries outta proportion a bit XD  
**suzaku009**: Thank you! ^_^ I feel honored :D  
**artemiswood15**: o.o.o.o.o My readers want to kill me? Lol, that makes me feel so important! :D *shall make Aang soon see that he wants shirtless, bloody Zuko* It'll make for some gory sex :P  
**Sasuke Uzamaki9999**: *shall think bout it* :P Lol, I don't really want to jump into it...The sexual tension needs to be at breaking point or else, it won't be hot enough! Sorry C: But when it comes, the lemon-scented yumminess shall make you flinch.._

_Though, after writing that, I'm wondering if that's a good thing or not :P Probably not...xD_

_Anywaaay! Thank you so much for the reviews you guys! I loved them! ^_^  
__Hope you liked this chapter and don't forget to review! :D_

_Lol, yeah, 'don't forget' because then I'll have a stroke of meanness and start putting off updates XD_

_-Jade258  
(who seriously isn't that mean and is jk..won't put off updates ^_^ and just likes to write nonsense) _


	16. Part XVI: The Followup

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XVI  
The Follow-Up**

"Get. Out." A voice said suddenly from the doorway and Toph tilted her head to the right in puzzlement.

"You okay, Twinkles?" She wondered curiously.

"I said_ get out_." He yelled as he fully flung the door open. "And take her with you. I don't want her here. I don't need her here!" He hissed angrily.

"Aang, what's wrong?" Zuko called from the bed, his eyes fluttering open as he turned his head to look at the air bender in puzzlement.

Ignoring Zuko, Aang stepped farther into the room as Katara hurried into view.

"Aang, please! Be reasonable." She pleaded.

"NO! I've had enough, Katara. You insulted me!" He spat out angrily.

"But-"

"TOPH! Can you please get out, NOW?" Aang suddenly hollered, his cheeks flushing red with anger as he stared pointedly at the door.

"Sure, sure. Cool down, would you, Twinkles?" She said as she hurriedly gathered the bandages and dumped them onto Zuko's bed before sidling towards the door.

"But what about Zuko? Who'll take care of him?" Katara desperately burst out.

"I don't need you doing favors that you'll probably hold over my head forever." Aang spat out venomously.

"Aang!" Katara said and the air bender did not falter even as she shot him a look of pure hurt.

"Katara, please. Just leave!" Aang said firmly. "I don't need you here. I'll get another healer to take care of Zuko." He said coldly and before she could reply, he turned to look at Toph. "Just get out of here. Take her with you." He said angrily.

"Aang!" Katara said and the air bender felt his resolve weakening as tears spilled down her cheeks.

"No." He said firmly as he turned away from her. "Get out, now." He said and as Toph firmly grabbed onto Katara's hand, he blindly blasted the door shut with his air bending.

Zuko, who had been watching the exchange with a dumb-founded expression on his face, opened his mouth to speak but abruptly shut it as Aang suddenly blew out all the candles in the room. The air bender blasted the windows shut and then, turned to Zuko. The fire bender wasn't really proud to say that he flinched as Aang raised his hand but instead of, possibly, incapacitating him, he merely blew the bedside table across the room so there was space beside Zuko's bed.

Without another word, he stomped forward in the semi-darkness of the room and hurriedly bended the water out of a bowl sitting on the floor. He carelessly cleaned the fire bender's wound before letting the water splash onto the floor and then sitting stiffly on the floor beside Zuko's bed.

Several minutes passed in a deathly silence before the fire bender uncomfortably cleared his throat. "What did she say?" He ventured.

Another silence before:

"Do you think I'm immature, Zuko?" Aang abruptly said.

Puzzled, the fire bender tilted his head to the left and was just getting down to thinking when Aang glared up at him. "I- no. Not at all." He said hastily.

"You're lying. I can even feel it through the _bed_. Honestly!" Aang said and Zuko drew back at the pure..._disgust_ lacing his voice.

"I'm not lying, Aang. You're just acting weird." He said with a shrug.

"You're one to talk." The air bender angrily spat out.

An awkward pause followed and then Aang sighed. "Sorry. It's just that...I really need to know." He said tiredly.

Zuko bit his lip and then spoke, carefully skimming through his words. "No, Aang. You're not immature. You possess enough maturity to rival my uncle's." He said with a grin.

Aang, however, seemed displeased with the answer and merely frowned. "You're just saying that."

"No, seriously, I'm not. You let me into your Gang when everyone else refused to. You gave me a second chance and brought out this weird urge in me to do...good. I don't know. It was weird since you're younger than me but I felt this inexplicable desire to please you." Zuko began and let his gaze wander over to the wall across from him almost thoughtfully. "It was silly. But when I joined your Gang, I didn't mind that no one else accepted me. It was awkward, of course, but you made it better. You kept my mind off of things and as I taught you, I myself learned." He said and then smiled wryly.

Zuko continued to look almost wistfully at the wall for several more seconds before shaking himself out of his reverie and glancing down at Aang, only to see the air bender gaping up at him. "What?" He asked defiantly, a blush creeping up his neck under the air bender's scrutiny.

"I-" Aang began but instead of speaking, he - in one swift motion- lifted himself off the ground and shifted over to sit beside Zuko on the bed.

"You really mean that?" He wondered in a small voice, sounding quite unlike himself.

"Sure." Zuko said with a gracious smile. "And if Katara doesn't see that, then it's her fault, isn't it?"

Aang looked up at Zuko in surprise and the fire bender merely smirked down at him. "How did you know?" He asked.

"She has a tendency to do it. I've been noticing ever since I joined your Gang. You shouldn't beat yourself up over it." He said firmly.

"Oh..." Aang began and then, sighed as he leaned against the pillows.

A long pause followed and slowly, Zuko turned his head to look at the air bender. "Aang..." He said quietly.

Aang looked up, his eyebrows raised inquisitively. "Hm?"

"I'll tell you a secret." Zuko said, an amused smile playing on his lips.

"Uh, okay." Aang said, somewhat warily.

The fire bender paused and then, with a smile ducked his head so that his mouth was next to Aang's ear. "I don't blame you for anything that I have to deal with as the Fire Lord. My country brought it upon itself and if you'd been there at that time, they would have killed you." He breathed softly.

Aang breathed sharply and then looked away, blushing heavily. "You heard." He groaned and miserably buried his face into his hands.

"Well, the house _is_ kinda small." Zuko said with a chuckle. However, it transformed swiftly into a yelp as Aang punched him hard on the shoulder.

"Don't make fun of me!" His muffled voice said and the fire bender smirked as he saw his neck burning red.

"Hey! I'm just saying." Zuko said with a shrug.

Aang muttered something inaudible before pulling his hands away and sliding off the narrow bed. One flick of his hand brought the bedside table back to its original place and in the semi-darkness of the room, he rummaged in one of the drawers for the bandages. "I can't hire a healer for you." Aang said as he pulled out a fresh roll of bandages and shut the drawer.

"Why not?" Zuko murmured as he pushed the sheets off his lap and towards one side of the bed.

Aang smiled a little as he turned around to face Zuko and placed the bandages on the bed. "Iroh conveniently forgot to leave us any money."

"Oh." Zuko said thoughtfully as Aang began to unroll the bandages. "So much for a speedy recovery." He muttered.

"Have some faith in me, would you? I could heal you too." Aang said defiantly.

"You can't heal." Zuko pointed out as he slid off the bed and stood in front of Aang.

"I know. But I do know how to clean the wound. And Gyatso used to tell us about plants and herbs with medicinal properties back at the Temple. I'm sure I can find some here." The air bender thoughtfully said as he stood in front of Zuko and began to unroll the bandages.

"I'm not going to stay in bed forever." Zuko said firmly. "My bending will get rusty."

"Zuko, you've been doing it your whole life. Nothing's going to happen. And besides, if you strain yourself too much, you could block a chi path." Aang said seriously as he rested his forearm against Zuko's abdomen to steady it as he began to wrap the bandages around the wound.

"I won't." Zuko said with a shrug.

"Yes, you will." Aang said flatly, his lithe fingers rapidly unrolling the bandage as he wove it around Zuko's back.

The fire bender paused for a second and then: "You were jealous, weren't you?" He asked.

Aang's eyebrows rose at the swift change of topic but he did not falter as he hurriedly continued with bandaging Zuko's wounds.

"Zuko, please. This is tiring." He said flatly as he leaned down to throw open the bedside drawer and rummaged inside for a box of needles.

"The longer you stretch it out, the more tiring it will get." Zuko said nonchalantly.

"That's really philosophical, Zuko." Aang murmured sarcastically as he pulled out a needle and used it to secure the bandages across the fire bender's abdomen. He had just pushed the box of needles back into the drawer when Zuko roughly grabbed his forearm from behind. And the next thing he knew, Aang was flat on his back on the bed.

"Just admit it!" The fire bender hissed angrily as he placed a knee on the bed and hovered over Aang.

"I'll scream rape." He said as he tried to scramble away from the fire bender.

"That's not funny." He said with a scowl.

"Why are you so desperate for me to admit it?" Aang retorted angrily. "Just because you're so insecure about it, doesn't mean that I have to be as well."

"Insecure? I'm the one who's insecure?" Zuko yelled in his face. "_You're_ the one who had some sort of emotional breakdown when you saw me in the bar."

"You were cheating on your girlfriend or have you forgotten that she even exists?"

"DON'T give me that pathetic excuse. You've barely ever exchanged ten words with Mai and we all know she doesn't like you because you jump around too much."

"Just because I don't talk to someone doesn't mean I can't look out for them." Aang said flatly.

Zuko drew back for a second and then laughed in his face. "Oh, so when your tongue was down my throat barely two days ago? I suppose you were looking out for Mai, then too. Is that it, Aang?" He said as he placed a hand on either side of Aang's head on the bed.

"You forced yourself on me!" The air bender scathingly hissed.

"You enjoyed it." Zuko said with an almost feral grin on his lips.

"No, I didn't. Because you're a horrid kisser and you're disgusting."

"Well, the sounds you were making told another story." Zuko said smugly.

"You really are insane, aren't you, Zuko?" Aang said and before the fire bender could even reply, he blindly lashed out with his hand. However, his fingers had barely even grazed Zuko's skin when the fire bender's hand closed around his own wrist and he pinned it above his head on the bed. "Stop it." Aang said angrily as Zuko's knee slid down to rest between his legs.

"Just, let me show you something, Aang." Zuko murmured against his skin and the air bender inhaled sharply.

"I don't want to see anything!" He retorted, his voice rising several octaves as Zuko's knee rubbed tantalizingly against his crotch.

"Please..." Zuko said softly and Aang gasped as the fire bender raised his head to look him in the eye.

The sincerity clouding the fire bender's eyes shocked Aang and he could feel his resolve weakening at the mere intensity of his gaze. He vaguely found himself wondering if it was even about proving a point anymore but that thought fled his mind as the predatory gleam vanished from Zuko's eyes and the air bender's resolve shattered into a million pieces.

"I-" Aang began but faltered as he realized that he had never felt so incoherent.

"Please." The fire bender repeated and as if to emphasize his point, he pulled his hand away from where it was pinning Aang's arm against the bed.

The air bender's breath hitched in his throat and he trembled as Zuko leaned forward, his lips barely inches away from Aang's. But instead of closing the distance between them, he hovered there as if waiting for the air bender's permission.

Aang wasn't even sure how it happened but then, his breath was coming out in shallow gasps and he was nodding frantically up at Zuko.

In the semi-darkness of the room, the fire bender's hand slid down to Aang's face and he lightly tilted up his chin. The gesture was almost tender, until Zuko crashed his lips against Aang's with a ferocity so intense that Aang outright groaned into his mouth. The hand on his face slid down to brace the back of his head and good thing too, since the air bender suddenly felt like he didn't even have the strength to crane his neck.

His hands trembled only slightly as they roved over Zuko's heated skin, his lithe fingers desperate to find some sort of anchor. Anything to help him deal with the pure, undulated lust coursing through his veins; to make his spinning head come to a rest.

Nothing with Katara had ever been so raw and...exciting. Dangerous and arousing. She had never come at him so intently, she had never tried to claim him as his own.

But Zuko? Zuko was a different story.

And with each second that the fire bender's tongue engaged his own in a sinful battle, Aang understood that even better.

He was aware of the feeling of Zuko's beating heart against his own and a shaky moan escaped his lips as the fire bender pulled away.

"Zuko.." Aang dazedly breathed as his head fell back onto the pillows.

The air bender felt the bed sink a little bit as Zuko joined him and he hesitantly turned his head to look at him. A long silence followed in which the fire bender stared up at the ceiling and Aang shot him a few tentative glances.

It was only once the air bender shifted slightly that his gaze fell on the door.

"Hey, Zuko. Didn't I shut the door earlier?" He wondered abruptly.

"Yeah, why?" The fire bender as he turned on his side to face Aang and the door.

"Well, who opened it?" He asked in puzzlement.

A few seconds passed in silence and then, Zuko groaned. "Aang, did you actually _hear_ Katara leaving?" He asked.

Another pause and Aang's voice was small when he said:

"No?"

* * *

_Lol XD I couldn't help but add that twist :D_

_To **artemiswood15**: I read and reviewed it, about a month ago, I think. I love it! Update that! :O Make Katara spontaneously combust :P  
**Sasuke Uzamaki**: Well, hmm, your review made me think :P There were several things, actually, but I think that most of them might dissuade you even though I find them kind of funny :P Anyway! I did make the interaction b/w Aang and Zuko seem less rape-ish in this chapter ^_^  
**Kimitara**: Lmao, good point! __*signs Katara up as a secret member of the Zukaang fanclub*  
**wolfie**: Aw, thank you so much! And yay for Katara hating :D_

_Btw, I finally realized why quite a lot of people hate Katara :P She stands in the way of every EPIC! [i.e: gay] pairing that could ever exist in the Avatar world :D  
Sokka & Zuko, Aang & Zuko, Zuko & Jet, Sokka & Aang  
I mean, honestly, if she saw any two of those pairings happening, her head would first explode with jealousy and then with the overwhelming hawtness of it all :P_

_Anyway, Thank you for the reviews! I really enjoyed them :D And as it turns out, I'm baaack! To the everyday update thing, I mean :P  
So, do review! Yes, you can even go ahead and bash me. In the end, you're just upping the count x]_

_-Jade258_


	17. Part XVII: Worrying & Eavesdropping

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XVII  
Worrying & Eavesdropping**

"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. _Oh no_!" Aang frantically muttered as he paced back and forth across Zuko's room.

"Aang, calm down. This isn't helping." Zuko said, from where he was sprawled across the bed.

"Well, lying around isn't helping either!" He said shrilly as he came to a halt and spun around to face the fire bender.

"At least I'm not annoying the hell out of someone who's trying to get some rest." Zuko said bluntly.

"Oh yeah! You get rest while Katara gathers her army and comes to _murder_ us both!" Aang spat out angrily.

"Look, Aang, you're single and she doesn't have any right over you. I just don't get why you're so afraid of her." Zuko said irritably as he sat up.

"ZUKO! You don't know her. She's so overprotective, she'll think you're raping me!" Aang wailed as he plopped tiredly onto the bed.

"Well, I'm not. So why don't you just tell her that?" Zuko said as he scooted over to sit beside the air bender.

"Like she'll believe me." Aang said bitterly.

A slight pause followed and then Zuko sighed. "Fine, just wake me up when she comes, okay? And warn me if she's dragging along my uncle's corpse too." He said and then falling back onto the bed, turned over.

"Don't make fun of me" Aang yelled reproachfully.

A small, hesitant chuckle followed and then Zuko rolled over to face the air bender. "Aang, I won't let her lay a finger on you. Happy?" He said exasperatedly.

"No! Because then, she'll kill you." He said desperately.

"We'll deal with her when she comes." Zuko murmured. A pause followed and then:

_flump!_

"Hey!" Zuko yelled indignantly as he sat up and flung the pillow that Aang had thrown at him to one side.

"You're such an idiot!" He said childishly as he sprung off the bed and stomped off towards the door.

"Yeah, well. So are you!" Zuko retorted. A pause followed and then, he sighed and scrambled off the bed after him.

* * *

Toph lay comfortably on the couch, her feet resting on the low table in front of her as she tiredly waited for something to happen. Katara seemed to have gone into a temporary state of shock and refused to speak while Iroh, Sokka and Suki sat there, looking with apprehension at the little line between her forehead as she thought hard.

"What happened?" Suki lightly breathed into her ear as Katara disappeared into her bedroom to probably go and scream into a pillow or something.

Sokka turned his head to look at them and as Toph opened her mouth to speak, he shuffled closer to listen.

"She saw Twinkle Toes and Sparky making out." Toph said with a shrug.

"_What?_" Both of simultaneously exclaimed.

"On the bed." She added and even Iroh looked up in alarm.

"_No!_" Sokka exclaimed in horror.

"They're having sex? Aang's barely thirteen! What is wrong with Zuko?" Suki whispered angrily.

"Well, I don't think they were having sex." Toph shrugged. "I mean, there was enough excitement for it to be _mistaken_ as sex but I figured that since Sugar Queen didn't implode right then and there, it was...tamer." She said with a perverted grin.

However, what she had hoped would pass as a humorous comment made Sokka blanch and Suki's mouth drop open. "Oh spirits, I don't even want to _imagine_ that!" Sokka hissed conspiratorially.

"It wasn't that bad!" Toph said defiantly.

"Yeah, well. You couldn't see it, could you?" Sokka snapped angrily.

"What's with you, Snoozles?" Toph asked suspiciously.

"Nothing...It's just-" Sokka began but was cut off as Suki gasped in realization.

"I can't believe you, Sokka!" She said reproachfully.

"What?" Toph asked, her head tilted to the right in puzzlement.

"He's homophobic!" Suki whispered as she shot Sokka a dirty look.

A short pause followed and then:

"Oh come _on_, Snoozles!" Toph reproached as she leaned forward. "How can the thought of Sparky and Twinkles not make you all hot and bothered?" She demanded as if she had been personally offended.

"GAH!" Sokka yelled in disgust and almost toppled off the couch as he scrambled away from Toph. "They're my friends! And that's disgusting, Toph!" He said.

"Well, like you said they're your friends, so you shouldn't discriminate against them, either." Suki pointed out. "Besides, it's not like you haven't heard about them making about earlier. They did that in that gay bar too. And the whole of Ba Sing Se heard about it."

"That's not the point!" Sokka protested.

"Yes, it is, Sokka. I mean, Zuko helped you save your father and who knows how many times Aang has saved your life." Suki said indignantly. "You should at least have the decency to accept them!" She said reproachfully.

A long silence followed and then Sokka grumpily folded his arms and slumped back onto the couch while Iroh, who had obviously been listening in, leaned away. Toph sighed heavily and then leaned her head back as she waited for Katara to return.

The thought had barely popped into her mind when the door to the water bender's room was flung open and she stomped out, a bag over her shoulder. Toph let her feet slide onto the ground and laughed as she felt the bag. "You got torture tools in their, Sugar Queen?" She asked with a grin.

"Shut up." She snapped angrily as she started towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Sokka demanded as he stood up.

"Mind your own business." Katara snapped.

"I won't mind my own business. Where are you going?" Sokka snapped as he made his way towards the door.

"Going to give them a piece of my mind." Katara snapped.

"Wow, that's a bad lie." Toph drawled from the couch.

"What?" Katara yelled as she turned around to face Toph.

"You're wearing black clothes, Katara. I'd say you were going to spy on them." Sokka said suddenly.

An awkward pause followed and then:

"Who knows what he's doing to Aang?" She desperately cried.

"Katara, that's indecent." Sokka reproached.

"No!" Katara yelled. "You didn't see them! What they were doing was indecent." She cried.

"That's not our business." Sokka yelled.

"Not our business?" Katara yelled as she laughed bitterly. "You, Toph and Suki are the ones who sit around all day gossiping like old wives and you're telling me that it's none of our business? You are such a hyprocrite!" She said venomously.

"At least we don't spy on them." Sokka said quietly.

"That's not the point." Katara snapped and then turned away to fling open the door. "I'm going and you're not stopping me." She said flatly and before any of them could even move a limb, she stepped out and slammed the door shut behind her.

* * *

_tap tap tap tap_

The sound of Aang's fingernails hitting the wooden top of the kitchen table was beginning to make Zuko's patience thin dangerously. The breakfast Aang had made lay forgotten in the fire bender's bedroom and he'd had enough decency to tell him that it was rather...unpleasant.

So, the fire bender had decided that while Aang brooded, he would make something to eat.

He had picked a recipe almost fifteen minutes ago but had only half the ingredients since he couldn't reach up to the higher cabinets without opening his wound. But, he had enough sense not to ask Aang to help him since the air bender had made it clear that he was upset with him. Zuko couldn't deny that he found his reasons childish but then, Katara was pretty scary.

And possibly psychotic.

The thought made Zuko smile wryly and he turned around to face Aang who was staring dementedly at the table. His whole posture practically screamed at Zuko not to bother him so he merely pulled a chair out and placed it in front of the counter. Climbing onto it, the fire bender threw open the cabinets doors and began rummaging inside.

Several minutes later, he had dropped all the ingredients onto the counter and stepped down from the chair. Silence still reigned over the kitchen so Zuko merely lit a fire beneath the pot and set the water to boil before turning to the air bender.

"Aang, come on. All this worrying is pointless." Zuko said as he came to stand behind him.

"Don't tell me to stop." Aang murmured feverishly. A slight pause followed and then the air bender spoke again. "You shouldn't walk around shirtless in the kitchen. You'll burn yourself." He muttered absentmindedly.

"Aang, we used to fire bend shirtless." He said.

"This isn't fire bending. It's the kitchen." Aang said flatly.

"Okay, then." Zuko said but did not make a move to fetch a shirt from his bedroom. Instead, he lightly placed his hands on Aang's shoulders and squeezed it in what he hoped was a comforting manner. "Seriously, Aang. Stop worrying." He said softly.

"I can't. She'll kill us." Aang moaned miserably.

"No, she won't. At the most, she'll just yell her head off and then water bend us out onto the street before kicking us, crying and then running off." Zuko said with a grin.

A long pause followed and then Aang chuckled hesitantly. Zuko smiled as he felt some of the tension slip away from the air bender's shoulders and squeezed them one last time before turning away.

* * *

"Katara! Come back this INSTANT!" Sokka roared as he practically threw the door off its hinges and stomped out into the street.

"This doesn't concern you, Sokka!" She screamed, paying no attention to the people who backed away from her.

"Yes, it does! Aang and Zuko are my friends too but you don't see ME going around spying on them." Sokka yelled angrily as he stepped forward.

"That's a good point, Snoozles." Toph pointed out as she leisurely strolled out of the house as if it were normal for people to start screaming at each other in the middle of the street.

"Toph! I don't think this is a good time for this." Suki said as she hastily followed out into the street.

"You just don't _get _it, Sokka!" Katara yelled and Sokka could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. "Aang is mine! He's my friend, he's my student, and he's my boyfriend. He loved me! And then HE came along and took it all away. Just like he always does. He took my mother from me. He took my necklace. He ruined EVERYTHING!" Katara screamed as she balled her hands into fists.

"KATARA!" Sokka yelled, his face contorting with disgust as he stepped forward. "She was just as much my mother as she was yours but that doesn't give you the right to start blaming Zuko for anything that happened. He was just a child when she died. What is wrong with you?" He yelled.

"ME? Nothing's wrong with ME! It's Aang who's gone insane!" Katara said shrilly as tears of indignation and rage spilled down her cheeks.

"Katara, this is ridiculous!" Sokka said. "You broke up with Aang and he has every right to do whatever he wants with_ whom_ ever he wants. You have no right over him." He said angrily.

"Shut up, Sokka. JUST SHUT UP!" She screamed as she angrily stomped her foot. "You don't know anything. You don't see the way Aang looks at Zuko!" She yelled and her voice broke as she squeezed her eyes shut. "He used to look at me like that! But now, he's gone off with him and I know, I just _know_ that Zuko's going to hurt him!" She yelled.

"You're one to talk!" Sokka said angrily. "You broke up with him for no good reason. You're just crouching here ready to pounce on Zuko but did you ever even consider how much it hurt Aang when YOU broke up with him?" Sokka roared accusingly.

Katara's face crumpled and she flinched as if she had been physically assaulted. As she faltered, Sokka took a step forward and made a move to take her hand in his. However, his fingers had barely grazed hers when she pulled away with a snarl and then turning on her heel, sprinted towards Iroh's teashop.

"Katara!" Sokka yelled.

But she did not listen and slowly, the sound of her heavy footfalls faded. Several seconds passed in a deadly silence before Sokka suddenly spoke, sounding completely unlike himself.

"Let's go."

And then, without waiting for a reply, he sprinted after Katara.

* * *

By the time the water began to boil, Aang had moved to the window and Zuko was poring feverishly over the recipe book, constantly biting his tongue so as to refrain from telling the air bender to stop worrying.

He was steadily growing frustrated with Aang's indomitable fear of Katara and he had considered, several times, to stomp over to the air bender and shake some sense into him. However, he doubted that such an approach would do anything to quell Aang's fear and so, decided that a more diverse approach was in order.

"Let's talk." Zuko said abruptly.

A pause followed and then Aang looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Aren't you cooking?" He asked.

"That can wait. Come on." Zuko said and without waiting for a reply, extinguished the fire beneath the pot and made his way towards the living room.

He heard the sound of Aang's light footsteps on the wooden floorboards and with a satisfied smile, sat down on the floor beside the low table resting against the wall. The air bender silently took a seat across from Zuko, his movements jerky in his distraction.

Several seconds passed in silence before Zuko abruptly spoke. "Let me take you out tonight." The fire bender said.

Aang looked up in surprise and his cheeks flushed with color as his gaze met Zuko's. "Oh..." He said uncomfortably.

"You don't want to?" He asked and Aang winced at the underlying accusation.

"No, no. It's not _that_." Aang said and an uneasy laugh followed.

"Then what?" Zuko asked, his golden eyes looking inquisitively at Aang.

The air bender paused uncomfortably and his voice was miserable when he said: "The rumors. It would just make everything worse."

"Fine, then. We won't go out. How about here?" Zuko insisted.

Aang glanced at Zuko again and the fire bender raised his eyebrows expectantly. Another awkward pause followed and then the air bender sighed dejectedly. "I don't know, Zuko. I mean...we were trying to convince everyone that we're _not_ gay and now, you want...this. It's just so confusing." He said as he leaned his back against the wall.

"I'm going to have to admit I'm gay one way or the other, Aang. Then they'll just turn to you, expecting you to break as well." Zuko said quietly.

"Oh, so that's the only reason you're even bothering with this?" Aang snapped irritably.

Zuko drew back in surprise but then, his lips curved into a hesitant smile. "Of course not, Aang." He said as he stood up and made his way over to the air bender. His hand closed around Aang's wrist and he pulled him up so that they were face to face. "I want this. And I know that you do too." Zuko said softly and Aang felt the blood rush to his cheeks as he looked away.

"I- uh..." Aang began but as Zuko's hand reached up to graze his cheek, his voice trailed off and his blush deepened even further.

"Is that a yes?" Zuko asked teasingly, his smile widening as Aang grew even more flustered.

"I...I don't know." Aang breathed hastily.

Zuko paused for a second and then ducked his head so that his mouth was next to Aang's ear, his lips almost grazing the air bender's neck. "Can I convince you?" Zuko breathed huskily.

Aang exhaled sharply and then, his hand was clutching the front of Zuko's shirt. "You can try." He said and the fire bender chuckled at the challenge.

Aang pulled away for a second and Zuko smiled as his gray eyes looked up at him. The air bender's face was flushed red and even though his breathing was erratic, he seemed to be in control of himself. The sight made Zuko's lips curve into an almost feral grin and he was just leaning in for a kiss when a scream suddenly echoed throughout the air.

After that, things happened so fast that half of it barely even registered to Zuko's mind. He remembered looking at the window in alarm as a flash of black appeared, followed by a pair of blue eyes and a tan skin tone that was much too familiar. Sokka's voice echoed throughout the still air and as the water bender began to fall to the ground, a ledge of earth suddenly shot out from the side of the building and caught her.

There was a pause and then, four people tumbled into a messy heap on the floor of Iroh's apartment.

* * *

_Lawl, so much for being discreet xD_

_**Skyeh**: Katara just wants in on the action :P But she won't admit that so we'll just assume that she was too shocked to move xP  
**Kimitara**: Lmao, I'd give anything to see those pics xP _

_Thank you so much for the reviews all of you ^_^ I really appreciate them :D_

_Anyway, hope you enjoyed that and don't forget to review! :D_

_-Jade258_


	18. Part XVIII: The Conference

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XVIII  
The Conference **

As the four people tumbled into the living room through the large window, the resulting thuds were punctuated by cries of outrage and groans of pain. "SUGAR QUEEN! You could at least hold on to the frickin' ledge _properly_. JEEZ!" Toph said, her voice coming out muffled against Suki's shirt.

"Shut up, Toph! Sokka was the one bearing me down." Katara said and then, a rather obscene swearword directed at the tribesman followed.

"Hey, you're the one who told us to shut up, or else they would hear us. I couldn't exactly find myself a comfy spot and sit down with popcorn. Now COULD I?" Sokka yelled as he pushed Katara off him and angrily stood up.

"Sokka, be quiet!" Suki said reproachfully and even though the tribesman's face was still contorted with irritation, he fell silent.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" Zuko coldly said and everyone, at once fell silent. "Were you spying on us?" He yelled as he took a step forward and the four of them took a step back.

"Zuko, leave them alone. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation." Aang said calmly.

"Yeah, I suppose these four have become chimney sweeps, have they?" Zuko spat out venomously as he took another step forward.

"Zuko, dude! Calm down!" Sokka said shakily.

"Dude? DUDE?" Zuko yelled in his face and the tribesman flinched violently as he stepped forward. "You have the nerve to call me that when you've been eavesdropping on us?" Zuko hollered angrily.

A deadly silence followed and then, the fire bender felt his cheeks grow warm under Suki's gaze. The warrior was obviously trying her hardest not to smile and had resorted to ducking her head behind Sokka's shoulder to conceal her twitching lips. However, it seemed not to work and she suddenly burst out laughing. It seemed to have some sort of effect on the whole group because then, Toph began to cackle as well while Sokka chuckled nervously.

However, Katara looked positively faint and behind him, Aang was blushing furiously. "I'm going to _kill_ all of you once you're done laughing." Zuko hissed angrily and then, turning on his heel, stalked off towards the kitchen.

This merely served to amuse them even more and the fire bender growled as the sounds of their laughter drifted into the kitchen as well. He slammed the door shut after him and then, violently pulling out a chair, slumped into it. His head landed squarely on the table and he began to thump his forehead on it. Hard.

Truthfully, he was more embarrassed than he was angry. He had made a vow never to show any moment of candidness in front of Team Avatar once the war was over. He was the Fire Lord now. Fire Lords didn't do that. And now, all four of them had heard him trying to 'convince' Aang to have dinner with him. How Zuko wished he could go and die in a hole.

As he thumped his head against the table, the reverberating thuds managed to block out the sound of the door opening. So, when Zuko felt a hand on his shoulder, he jumped violently.

"WHAT?" He yelled angrily as he turned around to face whoever it was.

"You shouldn't take them so seriously. They're just messing around." Aang said as he pulled a stream of water from a jug and bended it onto Zuko's red forehead.

"No, they're not. They're genuinely mocking me." The fire bender muttered as he subconsciously leaned forward into the feeling of the cold water against his stinging skin.

"It's not like they haven't done that before." Aang pointed out as he smiled down at Zuko.

"But this was humiliating." The fire bender groaned miserably.

Aang paused for a second and then smiled. "Would it make you feel any better if I said that you can make dinner for me tonight?" He offered.

Zuko looked up in surprise and then, his lips curved into a playful smirk. "I was looking forward to 'convincing' you." He said.

"We've got a whole week." Aang said with a grin and Zuko chuckled as the air bender blushed at his own suggestiveness.

"Then I think I can let it go." Zuko said as he grabbed Aang by the front of his shirt and pulled him down for a kiss. As the fire bender closed the space between them, he felt Aang's lips twitching against his.

"They're listening to us, you know." Aang said before playfully biting down on Zuko's lip.

"WHAT?" The fire bender yelled as he almost toppled off his chair in his hurry to get away from Aang. "Why didn't you tell me before?" He demanded and as he finished his sentence, laughter erupted from the other side of the door. "Agni! This is humiliating." Zuko groaned as he stood up.

"Hey, you're the Fire Lord. You can shut them up." Aang said as he made his way towards the door.

"Yeah, right." The fire bender said and then violently slid open the door to the kitchen. He was met with the sight of Toph and Suki innocently standing against the wall where he had left them earlier. A scowl at once dawned on his face and he stomped over to them. When he was a few feet away, however, Sokka suddenly yelped.

"Stay away!" He yelled as he grabbed Suki by the shoulder and steered her over to stand in front of him.

"Huh?" Zuko asked in bewilderment.

"Don't you get it?" Sokka asked exasperatedly. "I'm the only other guy left in the group. So when you and Aang break up, I'm gonna have to comfort you two. But when I do, you'll try to jump me. So, I'll end being the rebound, who's not even gay!" Sokka said, his voice ending in a shriek.

A short, awkward pause followed and then Zuko and Aang gaped at the tribesman. "What the hell are you on about?" The fire bender asked blankly.

"Jump you?" Aang wondered aloud. "Are you feeling alright, Sokka?" The air bender asked worriedly.

"No!" Sokka said, his voice rising several octaves as Aang took a step towards him.

Another awkward pause followed before Suki sighed and spoke. "He's homophobic and he accidentally heard you two, uh..." She said, her voice trailing off as she searched for the right word.

"Canoodling, just now." Toph interjected helpfully.

Another pause and then, Zuko's face contorted with irritation. "We weren't CANOODLING!" He said, spitting out the word like it was poison on his tongue.

Yet _another_ awkward pause and then, Toph suddenly cleared her throat. "Well, we obviously need a Team Avatar conference. Come on." She said all business-like and without waiting for a reply, stalked into the kitchen. Zuko and Aang exchanged a glance and then, hesitantly trailed after her. Katara followed and Suki came in the very end, practically hauling Sokka along.

Everyone pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Well..." Toph began but before she could continue any further, Zuko sighed exasperatedly.

"Is this absolutely necessary?" He snapped irritably.

"Of course, Sparky. Team Avatar can't have a falling out just because you and Aang hooked up. Since Sokka's suddenly a homophobic freak and Katara's a jealous bitch, this could prove to be a problem." Toph said matter-of-factly.

"HEY!" The water bender yelled indignantly but was ignored.

"Please, Toph. This is none of your business." Zuko said irritably as he leaned back in his chair.

"On the contrary, Sparky, if my friends suddenly decide to plunge into something that practically screams _impending doom_, then it is completely my business." Toph said flatly.

"Oh, so you're just here to criticize us, then?" Zuko snapped.

"No, Sparky. I'm here to make you see sense. Make _both_ of you see sense." Toph said firmly.

An awkward pause fell and when Zuko did not speak, the earth bender continued. "Okay, so firstly. We should measure the pros and cons of this relationship. Shall we?" She said bluntly and Zuko sensed Katara bristle angrily.

Beside him, Aang blushed and Zuko had to resist the urge to stomp over to the four of them and one by one, throw them out of the apartment. However, before he could even think to initiate any such thing, Toph began.

"The cons are that A, Aang is supposed to have lots of air babies to keep his bloodline going. B, you're supposed to have lots of fire babies to keep _your_ bloodline going. C, you have a girlfriend. D, Aang has a crazy ex-girlfriend who could very possibly be an axe murderer. E, you could possibly be burned alive for doing this." Toph said bluntly and beside Zuko, Aang blanched.

"Pros are that A, your relationship provides entertainment for me and Suki. B, it'll help Sokka quell his stupid fear of homosexuals. C, it makes you two happy. D, it could keep Zuko from being a sad, lonely old man who dies alone on his throne of fire since looking at Mai and him now, it's obvious they won't last for long. E, Katara could easily be disposed of and if she is, indeed, an axe murderer, measures could be taken to cure her of her psychosis. F, if the Fire Nation does hate you for starting a relationship with Aang then all of the other nations are inevitably going to oppose them just for the sake of it, so then it'll be two against one. G, you're the Fire Lord so you could easily change the Fire Nation laws concerning sodomy and homosexuality." Toph said gleefully.

"What the hell?" Zuko exclaimed as he stared at the earth bender as if she had suddenly grown two heads.

"And the pros outweigh the cons so HURRAY!" Toph said sarcastically.

"I am NOT an axe murderer." Katara said shrilly as she brought her fist down on the kitchen table.

"Good job, Katara. You shouldn't suppress all that anger." Toph said nonchalantly.

"Toph, you're making absolutely no sense." Aang said tiredly.

A pause followed and then, the earth bender burst out laughing causing Aang and Zuko to exchange an alarmed look. "Okay, sorry. I was just messing with you two." She said brightly.

"I think you're the one who needs a cure for psychosis." Sokka muttered darkly.

Ignoring the tribesman, Toph continued speaking. "Anyway..." She said, sounding a lot calmer than before. "Let's have a vote as to who approves of this."

"Oh Agni..." Zuko muttered as he ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

Everyone else, however, seemed to take her words to heart and three hands immediately shot into the air. "Jeez, Twinkles. You're the one having the relationship. You can't vote!" Toph said exasperatedly.

An awkward pause followed and then Aang sheepishly lowered his hand. "This is ridiculous! Have you all suddenly gone insane?" Zuko asked angrily as Toph and Suki stretched their hands into the air.

"Yes." Toph said firmly and with an enraged growl, Zuko pushed back his chair.

"Come on, Aang. Let's get out of here." He said as he grabbed the air bender by the forearm and hauled him up.

"He's not going anywhere with you." Katara snapped angrily as she too, got to her feet.

"Oh and you're going to stop us?" Zuko asked scathingly, his grip tightening around Aang's arm.

"Yes, I am." Katara said firmly as she kicked back her chair and side-stepped the table to stand in front of Zuko.

"Katara, please." Aang said in a small voice.

"No, Aang. This is going to end badly." Katara snapped as she glared up at Zuko.

"Yeah, and your relationship ended just _spectacularly_, didn't it?" Zuko snapped disdainfully.

"You bastard! What would you know about relationships? You're here, cheating on your girlfriend with another boy!" Katara yelled.

Zuko faltered for a second and Aang flinched as the fire bender's grip tightened around his forearm.

"Don't patronize me, you bit-"

"OKAY!" Toph suddenly, and rather conveniently, yelled. "That's quite enough." She said loudly.

"Zuko, Katara. Please, stop it." Aang said quietly.

"And let him whisk you away to some stupid lair of his so that he can rape you? As if that's gonna happ-" Katara began but her words ended in a shriek as Zuko suddenly flung aside his chair and stepped forward.

"Don't. Insult. Me!" He said, his voice barely more than a deadly whisper. "You're _disgusting_!" Zuko spat venomously.

"Sparky, that's enough." Toph murmured quietly and everyone flinched as Zuko exhaled sharply and then stepped away.

He stood there for several seconds and his expression progressed from one of anger, to annoyance back to rage. But then, he turned back to Katara with irritation painted all over her face. "I've had _enough_ of you. Why don't you, for _once_, let Aang choose? He can reject me if he wants. He can even choose you but I am SICK of you ruling over him like some sort of dictator!" Zuko said, his jaw tightening with anger as Katara's eyes filled with tears.

A deathly still silence fell in which Sokka, in his shock, happened to forget that he was supposed to be defending Katara. Instead, he gaped as the fire bender's cheeks flushed red with anger and he finally backed away from the water bender as if she repulsed him. "You go on holding _conferences, _Toph. But there's no way I'm going to sit here and let you poke your nose into my business." He said angrily. "This is my problem and _I'll_ fix it. I don't need your charity." He said venomously and without waiting for a reply, dropped Aang's arm and stomped off towards the door.

* * *

_x.x Uh oh_

_To **Kimitara**: Are you kidding? I'd be honored, lol :D  
**KataangSoKai11**: Lol, thank you :D And as for Katara... . I won't pretend like that wasn't my intention :P  
**ragnarok45**: Ah! If only...xD_

_Anyway, I apologize if the ending of the last chapter was a little unclear :] And thank you so much for the reviews! ^_^_

_I sense a rather exciting plot twist coming up soon so, don't give me any reason to stop from updating everday ^^ __Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to review! :D _

_-Jade258_


	19. Part XIX: An Invitation

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XIX  
An Invitation **

Once the front door had slammed shut, an uncomfortable silence fell in which Aang slumped back into his chair, exhausted. Suki and Sokka exchanged a glance while Katara merely looked down at the floor like a five year old caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Her wavy, chocolate hair fell into her face and Aang didn't need to have to look at her to know that her cerulean blue eyes were filled with tears.

The silence stretched on for several more minutes before Aang sighed and then, looked up. His gray eyes sweept the whole table before finally coming to rest on Katara. His eyes clouded over with anger and his lip curled in irritation but his voice was calm and controlled when he said:

"I can't believe you just said that to him."

Awkward pause.

"I-I didn't mean to!" Katara said, and Aang flinched as her voice broke.

But even her moment of weakness could not hide the dishonesty of her words from Aang. "Of course you meant to say that to him. It's what you've been thinking all along!" He snapped irritably.

"Aang, I can't let this happen right before my eyes. You're getting into something that is going to explode in your face!" Katara said desperately.

Her words brought on a surge of undiscovered courage and the air bender didn't even realize what he was saying until he'd said it. "Yeah, it's going to explode. But in _my_ face. I don't need your help with this situation because I know what I want and that's Zuko. You, on the other hand? It took you who knows how many _months_ to finally realize it was me you wanted." Aang said and the calmness of his voice made Katara cringe.

An awkward silence fell, punctuated only by the air bender's tired sigh. "Look, we'll talk about this later, okay?" He said and without waiting for a reply, he sidled out of the kitchen and towards the front door.

It was only the front door had slammed shut that Toph spoke. "How on earth do they do that? I mean, we cornered them in their own house two against four! And they _still_ got away!" She said exasperatedly.

"Toph, this isn't a cat-and-mouse game and _no..._" Suki firmly said at the expression on Toph's face. "We're not going to follow them, again." She said.

"Well..." Toph said thoughtfully.

"We _could_, if we wanted to." Katara finished for her.

"Oh, just _great_!" Sokka snapped angrily as he let his head slump onto the table.

* * *

Zuko's shoulders slumped as he violently pushed a key into the front door of the Jasmine Dragon and pushed it open from the inside. He stepped out and leaving the key in the hole, made his way down the steps and with a scowl headed for their apartment. His uncle had decided that during his and Aang's stay at the apartment, he would shut the shop early every day to give them privacy and also to keep the rest of the Gang away.

Zuko wasn't really sure if it was a good thing or not but it did allow him and Aang to leave the shop whenever they wanted, without a fuss. But it apparently didn't stop Toph and the others from sneaking onto the roof and listening into their conversations. Zuko made a note to tell his uncle to have glass put in those windows. But knowing Toph, she'd probably find another way.

The thought did nothing to amuse Zuko and his scowl deepened even further as he finally turned into the street of their apartment. A few seconds later, he was at the front porch, his fist poised over the wooden door. Zuko sighed and then sensibly wiped the sour expression from his face before knocking hard on the door.

Barely a second passed and then the door slid open to reveal Iroh. "Nephew! You came to visit." He said and despite the master fire bender's best efforts, Zuko knew that he had been expecting him.

"Well, you allowed those...hooligans to spy on me and Aang. Where else was I supposed to go?" The fire bender asked sourly as he stepped into the house and slammed the door shut behind him.

Instead of replying, though, Iroh merely hummed and then gestured for Zuko to sit. A frown flitted across the fire bender's face as he noticed the steaming pot of tea sitting ready on the table. "You should have stopped them." Zuko growled as he pulled out a chair and sat down.

"I could not have, even if I wanted to." Iroh said as he joined him. "They are, after all, the saviors of the world. They should be allowed their antics." He said.

"Not when those antics are meant to torment me and Aang. They're too nosy for their own good." Zuko snapped irritably.

"They're merely looking out for you, nephew. You should appreciate that gesture." Iroh said quietly.

"I don't need their petty gestures." He said angrily.

"Well, I wouldn't suggest that you hurry into that decision. There's something that I think you shall find somewhat...displeasing, nephew." Iroh said.

"Who died?" Zuko snapped irritably as he poured himself some tea and took a sip.

Iroh merely shook his head in amusement and then, reached into his pocket. "The Earth King was unaware that you had temporarily changed your address. So he sent this invitation here." He said as he pushed the parchment onto the table.

"What's it for?" Zuko said as his sharp golden eyes flicked down to it.

"The two-month anniversary of the conclusion of the war." Iroh said.

"What would I find displeasing about that? I went to more than thirty of these in the first month. I'm not saying I enjoy them but it's part of my job as Fire Lord, isn't it?" Zuko said as his gaze roved down the parchment.

"It is but in light of the latest rumors, nephew, the diplomats and politicians will be ruthless. You will do well to survive this event." Iroh said, a light frown flitting across his face.

"But..." Zuko said, his eyes widening in surprise as he looked at Iroh. "I would, at least, expect people of such high ranks to consider themselves above petty rumors like these!" He cried exasperatedly.

"Zuko, you may have noticed even in the first phase of celebration that these people do not trust you and will take any chance that they get to put a dent in your pride. A hundred years is a long time and you are a direct descendant of the instigators of this war." Iroh said seriously.

Zuko looked like he was about to say something but then sighed tiredly. "However, that is not my main concern." Iroh said and the fire bender groaned.

"Then what?"

"The invitation says that all of the Avatar's close friends are invited, along with their partners." Iroh said. "It is a ball, Zuko."

"Oh, just great!" The fire bender spat out angrily.

"I am aware that the Avatar is no longer in a relationship and that Mai is in the Fire Nation. It would not do anything to quell the rumors if you two showed up without any...lady friends." Iroh said quietly.

"But I thought you were the one who told me to tell everyone I was gay." Zuko said.

"Yes, Zuko. But not in the Earth Kingdom capital. The Fire Nation is where you must out yourself, else your people might think that you are afraid of them."

"What if I am?" Zuko snapped irritably.

"You are not." Iroh said firmly.

"How would you know that?" Zuko said as he looked away with a defeated look on his face.

"Because I know that you have faced obstacles in your life which have been greater than this. This is all a matter of stoicism, Zuko. Allow no one to see that you are embarrassed by this and they will believe that you aren't." Iroh said.

An awkward pause followed and then, Zuko sighed. "Fine. But what about bringing a partner to the ball?" He asked.

"Well, as far as I am concerned, you two will have to pick from the team itself." Iroh said quietly.

Zuko blanched. "But that only leaves Katara and Toph!" He wailed exasperatedly.

"Exactly. So I'll leave you to choose, shall I?" Iroh said and Zuko had an urge to violently wipe that smug grin off the fire bender's face.

"Oh Agni..." Zuko groaned as he snatched up the invitation and stood up.

"Choose wisely, Zuko." Iroh said calmly.

Zuko glared at him one last time before turning back to the door and making his way towards it.

"After all, it's practically a buffet!" Iroh teasingly called but Zuko merely stepped out and slammed the door as hard as he could behind him.

* * *

Aang had spent the first ten minutes of his supposed 'search' for Zuko in the staircase leading down from Iroh's apartment. A hundred thoughts and doubts swam around in his head and he wondered in Katara had been right. Was this really going to explode in his face? And if it did, did he really want to face it alone?

"You wont be alone." He told himself firmly as he turned to look at his distorted reflection in the window glass lining the sides. "Zuko will be there." He said to himself.

_Will he?_

"Of course, he will be." Aang said loudly.

_He's still the Fire Lord._

"He wouldn't leave without telling me." Aang said firmly.

"Who wouldn't leave without telling you?" A voice suddenly asked from behind him and the air bender jumped in surprise.

"No one!" He yelled.

"You sure?" Zuko asked as he climbed up the steps to stand next to Aang. "It sounded like you were talking about me." He said with a shrug.

Aang faltered for a second and then, his cheeks flushed red with color. "Uh...you seem to have calmed down." He said and hastily looked away as Zuko looked down at him with raised eyebrows.

"I have. But..." Zuko said and then tiredly trailed off.

"But what?" Aang asked worriedly.

"Let's just go inside." Zuko said and then, hurriedly climbed up the steps. However, his fingers had barely grazed the doorknob when he seemed to reconsider and turned around to face Aang. "I'll tell you inside, with the rest. Come on." He said with a reassuring smile.

Aang uncertainly bit his lip and then, nodded. "Okay." He said and then followed Zuko into the house.

However, as the door slid open and the two entered, Aang blanched at the sight in front of him. "What the hell?" Zuko asked in surprise as he stepped further into the house and slid the door shut.

"Uh, hey guys!" Suki said brightly from where she was halfway done with sneaking out the window.

"I told you Aang was just down the stairs. But, _noooo_, who listens to the blind girl?" Toph snapped from where she was leaning against the wall beside the window.

"Oh, shut up, Toph." Katara said as she stuck her head into the window from outside.

"Where are you guys going?" Aang asked in bewilderment.

"For a picnic." Sokka sarcastically said as he hopped into the living room after Katara.

"Hilarious." Zuko said coldly as he sat down onto the couch.

"What's that in your hand?" Toph asked.

"An invitation to the Royal Palace." Zuko said tiredly.

"Ooh, a party!" Suki said as she sat down across from the fire bender.

"Not quite. It's a ball." Zuko said.

A short pause followed and then, Aang gasped. "Oh no..." He groaned.

"Oh yes." Zuko said darkly as he pushed the parchment onto the table.

"But we don't have any.." Aang began.

"We have to choose from the Gang." Zuko said while everyone listened to their conversation in puzzlement.

Another pause and then, Toph cackled maniacally. "Ooh, this is good." She said.

"What is?" Sokka wondered.

"Don't get too happy. You're going to have to go with one of us." Zuko said sourly.

"I'm lost." Katara said.

"Honestly, Sugar Queen, do you live under a rock or something? A ball is a dance party. So obviously, everyone needs a dance partner of the _opposite_ sex. But Sparky and Twinkles have no present girlfriends and they sure as hell can't go together. So, the only other options are you and me." She said as she plopped down onto the couch.

A long silence fell and then, Zuko groaned. "Let's just pick." He muttered darkly.

"No..." Aang moaned as if he were in pain.

"Pick? You're not in an ice cream shop!" Katara said loudly. "And Toph and I aren't ice cream flavors!" She said indignantly.

"Sorry, Sugar Queen, but we are now." She said with a shrug.

"How can you be okay with this?" Katara demanded angrily.

"Because this is what I've been brought up to do. I've gotten used to it." She said with a shrug.

Another pause followed and then, Toph continued. "Okay, so, Zuko obviously can't go with Katara." She said and Zuko snorted.

"Like I'd ever want to." He said as he glared at the water bender.

"I'm not saying I want to but why?" Katara snapped.

"Well, because he's one of the most powerful men in the world. He can't be seen fraternizing with peasants. People are gonna think Katara's a whore or something." Toph said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I take offense to that." Katara snapped irritably.

"But Aang can go with you, since his job isn't to be rich. Besides, it would help his image if he didn't favor rich people over peasants." She said matter-of-factly.

The air bender blanched as he stared at Katara and beside him, Zuko bristled angrily. "Aang's not going with Katara." He said flatly.

"Oh and who're you to decide?" She demanded.

"His..." Zuko said and then faltered.

"What? Boyfriend? Lover?" Katara asked mockingly.

"Katara." Toph snapped irritably.

"I might as well be his boyfriend!" Zuko said angrily.

"Oh, yeah. And I'm in love with Suki, right?" Katara snapped sarcastically.

"Hey, _my_ girlfriend!" Sokka said loudly.

"Oh, shut up, Sokka!" Katara snapped.

"Go to hell." Zuko said darkly.

"Zuko, please." Aang said as he lightly rested his hand on the fire bender's. "It's just a dance. Just one evening." He said quietly.

The fire bender faltered and then, looked down at the air bender with a frown on his lips. A pause followed and then he sighed. "Fine..." He said half-heartedly.

"Good." Aang said with a bright smile.

"Then I get to go with Sparky. Oh, joy!" Toph said gleefully.

"What're you so happy about?" Zuko demanded irritably.

"I get to annoy you, for a whole evening!" She said. "And no one's going to say anything since we're both filthy rich. And my parents will probably die of happiness knowing that I had a date with the newest, hottest Fire Lord!" She said with a maniacal grin.

"You've never even looked at me. How would you know I'm hot?" Zuko asked suspiciously.

"Oh, just the fact that every girl's heart starts beating ridiculously fast when you're around. And yes, those girls include Aang." She said.

Aang blushed and then hastily looked away as Zuko stared and Katara glared.

"Ew." Sokka said as he rolled his eyes.

"I think it's cute." Suki said with a smile.

"That scar sure does help a lot. I'm guessing it gives you that bad boy look, eh?" Toph said aloud. "I mean, sure, Aang receives a lot of skippy hearts as well but they're not as frequent. People just go _awwww_ when they look at him."

"Aww?" Aang snapped testily.

"But together, you two are epic. I mean, even Katara's turned on by it." Toph said with an almost feral grin on her lips.

"I am NOT!" Katara said shrilly.

"Toph, please. Shut up." Zuko murmured as his cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and he looked at Aang who had resorted to burying his face in his hands.

"Okay, okay." She said as she held up her hands. "Let's all sleep here tonight. We'll go shopping tomorrow." She said firmly.

"Since when did you like shopping?" Sokka demanded.

"I don't. It'll be a Team Avatar day trip." Toph said with a grin. A short pause followed and Zuko's voice was pained when he said:

"Oh Agni..."

* * *

_To **Terry Ros**e: Lol, nah...You have a point xD My bad :]]] And thank you! :D  
**Touchstone's Ranna**: I did send you a message but for others who might be wondering about Aang's age, he is almost, almost thirteen :D  
_

_Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews, you all! :D I especially loved the long ones for this chapter ^^ Thank you! :]_

_Lol, and if Toph turned out too fangirl-ish xD Thats my fault...I just totally brainwashed her with all my ideals concerning Zukaang :P Yes, Katara, you know you're turned on by it!_

_Hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review! :D_

_-Jade258 _


	20. Part XX: You Animals!

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XX  
You Animals! **

"I hate this." Zuko said flatly as he slid open the door to his bedroom and made his way toward the futon in the middle.

"Zuko." Aang said reproachfully with a laugh. "It's not even morning yet. And besides, it's not like Katara's forcing you to sleep on the roof or something." He said with a shrug.

"Ha! As if she could." Zuko snapped darkly.

Aang merely smiled wryly and then slid the door shut behind him. However, he had barely taken two steps towards Zuko when the door was suddenly flung open to reveal a shaken Sokka.

"I have to sleep here with you guys tonight." He said, sounding terrified out of his mind.

Zuko and Aang exchanged a glance and then turned to look at the tribesman. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" The air bender asked worriedly.

"Of course not!" He snapped abruptly. "But apparently, Katara doesn't see that and is forcing me into this room so that there'll be no..." Sokka paused and then shuddered. "Funny business."

"Oh..." Aang said and then, turned away to hide the blush dusting his cheeks.

Zuko merely growled darkly beneath his breath and snatching Sokka's sleeping bag from him, laid it out on the far end of the room. "I'm not going to live by her rules in my _own uncle's house_. So, you can either sleep in the corner or get lost. Aang and I will sleep there." Zuko said dangerously.

Sokka let out a squeak and then, stepped away. "Sure, sure." He said hastily and before any more words could be exchanged, dove straight into his sleeping bag. Zuko looked down at his shaking figure for several seconds before sighing disgustedly and making his way to his own futon.

Only to see a blushing Aang standing at the foot of it. "I don't think we should sleep in the same bed." He mumbled as one hand reached up to nervously rub the back of his neck.

"Where else do you want to sleep?" Zuko asked testily as he pulled off his shirt and dumped it on a chair.

Aang hastily looked away, his blush deepening even further. "I could find a sleeping bag..." He said and then trailed off as Zuko spared him an annoyed glance.

"Yeah, you go ask Katara for a sleeping bag and she'll end up kidnapping you and forcing you to sleep with Suki for the rest of the night." Zuko said irritably as he plopped down onto the futon.

An awkward pause followed and then, the fire bender sighed tiredly. "Look, Aang. I won't do anything, okay? I promise. Now, please. I'm exhausted and certain _people_ have been getting on my nerves, all day. Just come to bed." He said

Uncertainty flitted across the air bender's face and he uncomfortably cleared his throat before pulling off his own shirt and sidling towards the futon as if it were going to eat him up. A few minutes passed with his gray eyes looking fearfully at the mattress with little to no progress. This exchange stretched out for several seconds more before Zuko suddenly let out an enraged growl. His hand shot out and closed firmly around the air bender's wrist. A firm yank followed and then, with a yelp, Aang toppled onto the fire bender.

Zuko was vaguely aware of a moaned_ 'Oh Spirits' _from Sokka but then, he was distracted as Aang's hot breath ghosted on his neck and he felt his cheeks grow warm. The air bender's gray eyes widened and with a gasp, he rolled off Zuko, managing to elbow him hard in the ribs in his haste.

Zuko resisted the urge to pound his head into the mattress as Aang looked up at the ceiling with a demented expression on his face and instead, tentatively shifted closer to the air bender. "Aang, calm down." He murmured quietly.

"Oh Spirits! What if Katara had seen that?" Aang exclaimed in a high-pitched voice.

Zuko's lip curled in disdain and he turned onto his side to face the air bender. "One of these days, Aang, I'll show you something which is going to make you feel so mindblowingly amazing, you'll forget Katara completely." Zuko growled into his ear.

Even with the distance between them, the fire bender felt a shiver run down Aang's spine and then the air bender's gray eyes were peering at him through the darkness. "Really? Like what?" He whispered back.

"I don't want to freak Sokka out." Zuko said with a smirk.

"Or maybe you just don't have it in you to voice your sexual fantasies to me, Zuko." Aang said as a devious grin flitted across his lips.

Zuko drew back for a second and then, his own cheeks flushed red as the air bender's eyes sparkled with amusement. "So, you're not such a prude after all?" The fire bender asked with raised eyebrows.

"Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not." Aang said with a playful smile.

"Well, as long as you're not a prude in bed." Zuko said, a smirk of his own dawning on his lips as Aang blushed.

"Idiot." The air bender murmured as he turned away from Zuko.

The fire bender merely chuckled and let his arm snake around Aang's waist as he shuffled closer. "You can be as bad in bed as you want to be, Aang. I don't care." Zuko said as he pressed his lips against the air bender's neck.

There was a pause and then, Aang rolled over and snuggled straight into Zuko's chest, a small sigh slipping through his lips as he did. "Good night, Zuko." He said, his voice coming out muffled against the fire bender's skin.

Zuko smiled down at him for several seconds before murmuring a 'good night' of his own and letting his eyes slide shut.

However, barely five minutes passed and Zuko had almost drifted off when Aang suddenly stirred in his arms. "Tell me." He whispered quietly.

"Tell you what?" Zuko asked in puzzlement as he opened his eyes.

"Tell me your fantasy." Aang said with a smile and Zuko blanched.

"_What?_" Zuko spluttered.

"Oh, come on, Zuko. I know you want to." Aang murmured and the fire bender's face flushed with color as he looked away.

However, Aang, instead of relenting - as Zuko had expected - merely pressed further against the fire bender to catch his attention. Zuko shuffled uncomfortably and resisted the urge to move a few inches away from the air bender.

"If you tell me, I might let you do it." Aang said and Zuko's eyes widened.

"But you're only twelve!" He said incredulously.

"Technically a hundred and twelve. Personally, I think it's ridiculous for someone to still be untainted at such an age." Aang said matter-of-factly.

"Untainted? Is that what they're calling it now?" Zuko said faintly.

"Come on, Zuko. Please." Aang said with an innocent smile.

"Aang!" Zuko said incredulously. "If I tell it to you, you'd want to do it. And there's no way I'm going to have sex with a twelve year old boy! It'd be indecent!" He said.

"A hundred and twelve!" Aang insisted. "And there's no strict rule saying that I'd _absolutely _want to do it. Is there? You might just repulse me with your perverted thoughts. Did that occur to you?" He said.

Zuko paused for a second and considered the options. Aang was right. The fire bender's perverted thoughts might not appeal to him but they could serve to repulse him so much that he'd just scuttle away from Zuko.

He obviously couldn't let that happen.

Which was exactly why - an open-mouthed kiss and a hickey later - Zuko was spilling out all of his most dirtiest thoughts to Aang.

* * *

Which was exactly why - when she finally slid open the door to wake up Zuko and Aang in the morning - Katara found the two of them lying dazed, their necks and lips bruised and hair disheveled. A blood-curdling scream was at the very tip of her tongue but her breath hitched in her throat as the fire bender began to stir.

A few seconds passed and then, with a rather loud cry of _'fuck'_, the fire bender sat up. His yell jolted Aang out of his sleep as well and as the air bender blearily sat up, his cheeks flushed red with color.

And then, the scream was unleashed.

"HOLY SPIRITS!" Katara shrieked as she turned on her heel and sprinted straight out of the room.

"Katara, wait! Come back! It's not what you think!" Aang cried desperately.

"Oh Agni!" Zuko cried and then, the two scrambled out of bed and stumbled after her.

"Come on, Katara! Sokka's still alive and we're dressed! We didn't have sex!" Aang cried desperately as he followed her into her room.

"Sex?" A gleeful voice called and Zuko groaned as Toph sat bolt upright from where she was sleeping on the living room floor. "You had SEX under KATARA'S nose? Holy SHIT!" She cried as she scrambled upright.

"We didn't have sex. But she failed to notice that we're still dressed." The fire bender groaned.

He would have gone on to spout some obscenities about Katara but was interrupted as Aang began to hammer loudly on her door. Zuko turned to face him but let out a rather girlish yell as Toph suddenly jumped onto his back.

"Oh Spirits! I officially love you!" She shrieked into his ear and in the ensuing panic, Zuko yelled as Toph's hands roved over his neck. "Oh GOSH! So many love bites! You TOTALLY had sex!" Toph said gleefully.

"AGNI! SOMEONE FUCKING HELP ME!" Zuko roared as Toph's lithe fingers continued to dance over his pale skin.

His yell seemed to render everyone into a temporary state of shock and with an enraged growl, he wrenched Toph's arms away from his neck. She fell to the ground with an indignant yell but ignoring her, Zuko stomped over to Katara's door.

With one hard yank, he almost threw the door of his hinges and grabbing Aang by the wrist dragged him into the room. "Look, you homicidal wench! We didn't have sex, okay?" Zuko hollered angrily.

However, before anyone could register this information, Toph's fingers landed on Zuko's shoulders and began to rove over his skin. "On the back? Love bites on the _back_? You ANIMALS!" She cried gleefully.

"Toph, shut up!" Aang cried desperately.

"Oh, Twinkles!" Toph said and Zuko cringed as he saw that she almost looked teary with happiness. "You did it. Oh, you finally came out of your shell! I'm so happy!" She said gleefully.

"Toph, stop it! Nothing happ-" Aang began but was cut off as a sharp shard of ice cut across his cheek and blood began to trickle from the wound. "What the-" He began but was yet again interrupted as his view was obstructed by Zuko.

"Get out! GET OUT!" Katara shrieked as a steady stream of water began to travel in from the window. Aang didn't even know where she was getting it from but was about to direct it back out of the house when fire suddenly sprung to life in Zuko's hands.

"Will you even listen?" The fire bender yelled.

"No, I WON'T. GET OUT!" She screeched.

Zuko, however, refused to relent and Aang flinched as the fire in his palms began to intensify. The air bender didn't need more than a second to realize that Zuko was charging his attack and he knew that if he unleashed it inside the house, the whole structure would burn down.

The thought at once, jolted Aang out of his reverie and with a downward thrust of his hand, the fire in Zuko's hand died down. But he didn't have time to turn to Katara and she drew up the water, looking ready to sweep them all out of the room

However, before she could flick her hand and deliver the deciding blow, all the water that she had been bending, suddenly splashed onto the floor. There was a moment of suspense, before she crumpled to the floor to reveal a drenched Suki standing behind her, a sheathed katana in her hand.

"What the hell is going on here?" Suki demanded as she let her katana fall onto the floor. "Have you all suddenly gone completely _insane_? You just forced me to hit Katara, so you better have a good reason for all this noise!" She said angrily.

* * *

Once Katara had been heaved onto a bed and left under Suki's care, Aang, Toph and Zuko trudged out into the living room. Sokka had somehow managed to sleep through the entire ordeal and the fire bender vaguely wondered if he had died upon hearing his and Aang's...interaction.

It was probable but Zuko believed that the tribesman was made of tougher stuff than that.

With a sigh, Zuko made a beeline for the stove and hurriedly set the water to boil before turning around. Only to find Toph standing barely an inch away from him.

"Can I?" She asked with an innocent smile.

"Can you what?" Zuko spat out angrily.

"Touch you." She said brightly, causing Aang to look at the back of her head with raised eyebrows.

"Huh?" Zuko wondered in puzzlement.

"You know. To see all the love bites." She said with a perverted grin.

"Uh, no?" Zuko said as he shoved her aside.

"Oh, come on!" She pleaded.

"No!" He said firmly.

"Fine!" Toph huffed. "But don't say I didn't ask politely." She said and before Zuko could even register her words, her fist shot out and connected solidly with his chest. He vaguely wondered just how a twelve year old girl could possess so much strength but then, all the breath left his body as she slammed him into the wall. With one flick of her hand, two bands of earth shot out from the earthen wall and trapped Zuko against it.

"You are insane!" Zuko yelled at the earth bender. "Aang, help me!"

The air bender, who had been watching the exchange with a tired smile merely shook his head. "Let her do it now, Zuko. Else she'll come in the night." He said with a shrug.

"You've gotten smarter, Twinkles." Toph said as her fingers began to explore Zuko's neck and chest. "Wow, you sure did have some fun. Are you sure Sokka didn't die in his sleep?" She wondered.

"He might have. Who knows?" Aang said as he got to his feet and began to add milk and tea leaves into the boiling water.

A few seconds passed in a companionable silence with only the sound of Zuko's disheveled grunts and sounds of protest and Aang was just pouring the tea into separate teacups when suddenly a yelp echoed throughout the kitchen.

The air bender almost dropped the pot and looked at Zuko with a frown, only to see him glaring down at Toph.

"That hurt!" Zuko said indignantly as Toph's fingers ghosted over his nipples.

"Yeah, I'm sure it does." The earth bender said as she pushed the bands back into the wall and stepped away from Zuko.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He demanded testily.

"Hey. I'm just agreeing with you, Sparky. If someone spent all night violating _my_ body, I imagine that it would hurt in the morning, too." Toph said as Zuko made his way back to the table.

"I didn't violate anything!" Aang indignantly cried, his cheeks growing warm as Zuko shot him an amused smirk.

"That's not what I gathered." Toph said as she began to inspect Aang's neck. "Wow, you sluts!" She exclaimed as her fingers roved down Aang's chest.

"You know, if you weren't you, I'd kill you for saying that." Zuko grumbled.

"I'm touched, Sparky." Toph said absentmindedly as she circled Aang and let her fingers dance over the skin of his back.

When her inspection finally came to an end, Aang edged away from Toph and picking up the three tea cups, placed them on the table before sitting down.

Toph joined them and thoughtfully sipped her tea before speaking. "You know, I still can't believe something." She began.

"Speculation time. Hurray!" Zuko said sourly.

"Who would've thought that Twinkles could ever dominate Sparky in a sexual endeavor?"

Awkward pause.

"_Excuse_ me?" Zuko said angrily.

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it? You have more love bites than Twinkles. And yours are in more...diverse places than his. Meaning that Twinkles was less of a prude than you were. He, metaphorically speaking, fucked you into a wall." She said bluntly.

Another long pause followed and Zuko seemed to have been shocked into silence while Aang blushed furiously, trying to conceal his burning face behind his tea cup.

"Oh Agni..." The fire bender breathed as he stared dementedly at his tea cup. "A twelve year old fucked me into a wall?" He said, his voice several octaves higher than usual.

"Metaphorically speaking, Sparky." Toph reminded as she ignored Aang's murmured _'a hundred and twelve'_.

Another long pause followed and then, Toph drained her tea cup and got to her feet. "I suggest you two put on some shirts before you either end up making out on the kitchen table _or_ Katara wakes up."

She stretched tiredly and then, blowing her bangs out of her face, made her way towards the door. "I'm going to sleep. Tell me if the day trip is still on." She called as she disappeared into the living room.

* * *

_To **Sasuke Uzamaki9999**: *is talking to you in author notes again* Castration, huh? xD Lol, that might be a little difficult to achieve seeing as I'm a girl :P But, hey...its the thought that counts xD Rabid fan boy! :D hurray! But as it turns out, my inner fan-girl is homicidal x.x and is possibly inspired by Katara  
**artemiswood15**: "How can the thought of Sparky and Twinkles not make you all hot and bothered?" -Toph See, the greatest earth bender in the world is reproaching you :O  
Seriously though, I get you xD But sadly, I'm too perverted to be a victim of such discomfort [oops :P] . And she does, indeed, need medication xD  
**cabingirls**: Ah, yes..speaking oh psychosis: I think Katara and Azula would get along quite well around this time...They could sit in Azula's cell and bitch about Zuko all day :D Lol, as for the timing...I did make this small chart thingie to help me keep track so I'll just post it up here. READ ALL OF YOU!_

_**important!**  
Day 1 - Chapter 1; Chapter 2  
Day 2 - Chapter 3; Chapter 4 - The Deal Begins  
Day 3 - Chapter 5; Chapter 6  
Day 4 - Chapter 6; Chapter 7  
Day 5 - Chapter 8; Chapter 9  
Day 6 - Chapter 10; Chapter 11; Chapter 12; Chapter 13  
Day 7 - Chapter 13; Chapter 14  
Day 8 - Chapter 15  
Day 9 - (nothing)  
Day 10 - Chapter 16; Chapter 17; Chapter 18; Chapter 19; Chapter 20  
Day 11 - Chapter 20_

_Oh holy shit x_X I didn't realize that Zuko and Aang only have four days left...Crap_

_Btw, for all who're still tentative about the age difference, Aang made the first move! He doesn't give a shit! xD You shouldn't either :D_

_Anyway, thank you so much for all the reviews! I really appreciate and totally loved them ^^ So, you all be awesome readers and we shall reach 200 reviews within the next two chapters...Or this chapter, if you're feeling especially generous xD_

_Seriously, though, don't forget to review! :D_

_-Jade258_


	21. Part XXI: Yet Another Great Plan

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXI  
Yet Another Great Plan **

"Remind me how we ended up in this hellhole again." Zuko asked, his voice bordering on despair as he slumped against the wall of the boutique.

"You didn't have the guts to stand up to Suki, Katara and Toph." Aang said as he lightly leaned against the fire bender.

"Hey! It's not my fault that one happens to be psychotic, another is supposedly the greatest earth bender in the world and another is a scary warrior goddess with a katana." Zuko said as he quoted all of Toph's labels.

"Yeah, but shouldn't the idea guy, Avatar and Fire Lord be able to stand up to them?" Aang said as he pouted.

"Well, we could have. If they weren't girls, that is." Zuko grumbled.

Aang seemed to consider it for a moment and then, disregarding it completely, whined: "I'm hungry."

"You should have gone with Sokka when he offered." Zuko said with a heavy sigh.

"I wasn't hungry then." Aang pointed out. "Besides, Sokka left almost an hour ago and I don't think he's coming back so we might as well go too." He said with a shrug.

"Maybe you're forgetting that we haven't bought our clothes yet." Zuko said sourly.

"Well, let's go and buy them. We don't have to wait for Katara, Toph and Suki." Aang said hopefully.

"If we don't, we'll end up buying something that looks so hideous that it will start _another_ wave of rumors." Zuko said sarcastically.

"Well, fine then, Mr Doom and Gloom. Do you have any ideas?" Aang said irritably.

"No. I'm just here to shoot down all of the ideas that you come up with." Zuko said with a wry smile.

"Ha. Ha." Aang said as he leaned his head against the wall and let his eyes slide shut.

A long silence followed with only the sounds of the street vendors as company and Aang had almost dozed off when Zuko spoke again. "Agni, I am so bored!"

Not bothering to open his eyes, Aang mumbled. "I know, Zuko."

He was vaguely aware of an exasperated sigh on the fire bender's part and the next he knew, a hand had closed around his wrist and he was being dragged along. "Hey! What's the big idea?" Aang demanded as he struggled to keep up with Zuko's long steps.

"Well, I didn't take you to dinner yesterday. Let's just go now." He said with a shrug.

"Honestly, Zuko. Are you taking me to dinner just because you're bored? And besides, it's the middle of the day. That's not even remotely romantic. In fact, I'm insulted that you would take me out under such circumstances!" Aang protested indignantly.

The air bender was prepared to protest more but then, Zuko came to halt and Aang bumped hard into him. "Fine, you're right." He said tiredly and then, Aang was being directed back towards the boutique.

"Uh, that's it?" Aang wondered in bewilderment.

"For now." Zuko said and as the fire bender's head turned slightly towards him, Aang saw a devious smile flit across his lips.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Aang wondered suspiciously.

"Oh, you'll see." Zuko said.

"Okay, then." Aang said, even though he remained unconvinced. But before he could get a chance to ponder on Zuko's noncommittal words, the door to the boutique swung open and Katara, Suki and Toph exited.

The water bender looked considerably more happier than Aang previously recalled and was busy chatting animatedly with Suki who looked just as appeased. Toph, however, looked ready to murder someone and Aang and Zuko flinched as she turned to them.

"If I had to pick between being trampled by a komodo-rhino and shopping with these two, I'd definitely pick the komodo-rhino. Let's get the hell out of here." Toph said darkly.

"Sure!" Zuko said eagerly as he pushed himself off the wall and made a move to follow Toph who was already walking at a brisk pace towards the end of the street.

"Hey! Wait just a second." Suki called. "We still have to pick out some clothes for Zuko and Aang."

Toph faltered and Aang wondered if it was the kind of pause that signified impending doom. But it turned out that it wasn't because when she turned around, a devious grin was curving her lips upwards. The likes of which made Aang feel very, very apprehensive.

"Really? Well, you should have told me before." She said with an evil grin.

Zuko and Aang exchanged an uneasy glance but before either could voice their worries, Toph had latched onto each of their arms and was happily dragging them along after Katara and Suki.

* * *

"For the last time, NO! I am not going to wear a stupid sleeveless shirt to a ball! This is a FORMAL event, Toph!" Zuko yelled at the earth bender who was staring innocently up at him.

"Yeah! But it'll look hot! And you shouldn't be concerned with impressing anyone but your date!" Toph said flatly.

"Sorry to disappoint you but you're not much of a date. I mean, I should at least have a date that I want to kiss. And your height is going to make it very difficult for us to dance." Zuko said sourly.

"Firstly, Sparky, I take offense to that. Secondly, Aang is the same height as me but you don't have any problem kissing him. Thirdly, height doesn't matter as long as we both know how to dance. And fourthly, you need a date as a cover. You will have to make out with me to make it seem convincing." Toph said bluntly.

"WHAT?" Zuko yelled. "There is no way I'm letting you kiss me!" He said.

"Hey, I already told Aang about it and he says that he doesn't mind. If that's what you're worried about, then don't be." Toph said with a shrug.

"NO! What I'm worried about is that there will be reporters there and if anyone sees me kissing you, they will most definitely put it in the papers since I already _have_ a girlfriend." Zuko said exasperatedly. "And I know you didn't ask Aang."

"Zuko! Calm down." Aang's muffled voice called from inside the changing room.

"But WAIT! That's it!" Toph cried suddenly. "Aang, get out here." She said.

There was a pause and then a grumbling, shirtless Aang stumbled out of the changing room. "At least, give me five minutes to try on something." He said exasperatedly.

"Yeah, yeah. Enough with the whining already." Toph said as she waved her hand. "Anyway, as I was saying.." She continued.

"Oh_ another_ great idea!" Zuko said as he rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, Sparky. This is for your own good." Toph said and not waiting for him to reply, pressed on. "I know that you said that we were only your dates but think about it. Aang and Katara already broke up so things are definitely going to be tense between them. And if me and Zuko don't get all lovey dovey, then that bitch will notice." She said hurriedly.

"Which bitch?" Aang asked in bewilderment.

"Miyako Suzuri." Toph said as if it were obvious.

"Who says she's even going to be there?"

"I do. She's obviously an important citizen even though I don't think she was born into nobility." She said matter-of-factly.

"How would you know?"

"Well, one of my servants at home liked to read to me. But there were no story books so she just ranted on and on about Ba Sing Se and all of its higher ranking citizens. She even took out old documents. I didn't think it'd ever come in handy, though." She said with a grin.

"Your point is?"

"If Miyako Suzuri was nobility, I'd know about it. So I'm guessing that she was born a peasant or something similar to it and then bitched her way to the higher society." Toph said.

"Yeah but-"

"That's why she's going to be at the Ball. And that's why..." Toph said as she took a step towards Zuko. "We have to practice kissing." She said bluntly.

A long silence followed and then Zuko blanched. "No way!" He yelled as he backed away. "No way!"

"Just think about it, Zuko. You already have a girlfriend but if you were seen kissing another girl, you'd seem like the perfect player. And that would help in putting an end to the rumors and you could even win the deal!" Toph said brightly.

"But there has to be another way!" Aang said as he frowned.

"Well, there obviously isn't. That's why we have to make it seem believable." She said firmly.

"And what exactly do you mean by believable?" Zuko asked as he and Aang exchanged a glance.

"By believable I mean that you and Aang can't do anything suspicious throughout the entire ball. And me and you are going to have the hottest, sexiest and most sluttiest make out session that this city has ever seen, on the dance floor." Toph said as her lips curved into a devious smirk.

"But that is completely preposterous!" Aang said as he folded his arms and glared at Toph.

The earth bender paused for a second and then tilted her head to the right. "Uh oh. Twinkles is using big words! He's jealous!" She said with a huge grin.

"I am not!" Aang said as he blushed.

"Spirits, why do you people even try to lie to me?" Toph asked exasperatedly.

"I'm not!" Aang insisted as he hastily looked away from Zuko whose lips were curving into an amused grin.

"Yes, you are!" Toph sang teasingly.

However, before she could say anything else, Aang had disappeared back into the changing room and slammed the door shut behind him. "Did you have to do that?" Zuko said as he promptly wiped the grin off his face.

"Jeez, he's just doing it to get your attention. Just go and kiss him or whatever. I'm sure he'll be fine." She said nonchalantly.

"That's not an excuse." Zuko snapped.

"Yeah, but it sure as hell is a solution." Toph retorted as she turned on her heel. "Just make it quick, okay? We need to get Suki and Sugar Queen off our backs and then go practice. Tell Twinkles he can come as well." She said and Zuko didn't have to look at her face to know that she was smirking.

There was a pause and then Toph sauntered out of the changing rooms, leaving Zuko and Aang on either side of a door. With a sigh, the fire bender turned to it and was just about to knock when the door swung open.

"Are you honestly going to do this?" Aang demanded angrily.

"Aang, I have to." Zuko said apologetically.

"You wouldn't kiss Katara!" Aang snapped.

There was pause and then Zuko's eyebrows rose. "What? You want me to kiss Katara?" He wondered in bewilderment.

"I- no!" Aang yelled as he flushed bright red.

"Aang, I need to do this." Zuko said as he backed the air bender into the room and shut the door behind him.

"You don't _need_ to do anything." Aang mumbled as he looked away.

"Yes, I do. Besides, this is Toph we're talking about. She actually makes an effort to repel guys." Zuko said as he looked pleadingly at Aang. He could have sworn he saw a smile flit across the air bender's lips but he couldn't be sure since he suddenly turned his back to him.

"Please, Aang." Zuko said as he lightly wrapped his arms around the air bender's waist and pulled him close. "You know it won't mean anything." He murmured as he pressed his lips to Aang's neck.

The air bender paused and his voice was uncertain when he asked: "Promise?"

"Promise." Zuko said with a smile.

Aang momentarily stiffened in his arms but then, he turned his head to look at Zuko. "Fine, then." He said.

Zuko smiled and then lightly tilted up the air bender's chin. His lips lightly brushed against his and he was just about to turn Aang around to face him completely when someone began to hammer on the door.

"I thought I told you to make it quick!" Toph hollered from the other side of the door.

But for once, both of them ignored her and Zuko felt Aang's lips twitching against his as he pushed him up against the wall of the changing room.

* * *

_To **MYnamesInvisable**: Lol, once I read your review, I actually realized that I forgot about the dinner xD So, Zuko finally remembered in this chapter xD But it still didn't happen*sigh* Lol, and ily for understanding that this is not meant to be taken so seriously ^_^  
**Vithian**: Aw, lol, thank you! :D I appreciate the chant xD And lmao, Toph a fag? xP And naw, when someone breaks, it'll be Katara and trust me, it won't be pretty x.x  
**FablerPheonix**: Lol, I must admit that after reading your review, I sat in front of the computer for five straight minutes, grinning like an idiot xD Firstly, because the thought of Toph and Iroh made me want to cackle but I couldn't since then my sister would have gotten nosy. Secondly, because 'a middle ground between sense and nonsense' is such a perfect label for this story that it makes me want to hug you. And thirdly, because I frankly thought the kiss scene turned out horrid xD Thank you so much! :D  
**Sasuke Uzamaki9999**: Lol, but Zuko, a douche bag and his whole honor thing justifies his reluctance... xD  
__**Skyeh**: Naw, don't worry...Aang might act like a suggestive & badass uke but in the end, Zuko will always dominate him x]_

_Thank you so much for all the reviews, you guys! ^^ I hope I can add a hot make out scene in the next chapter in celebration of 200 reviews :P [no, not one between Zuko and Toph xD]_

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review! :D_

_-Jade258_


	22. Part XXII: Kissing Practice

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXII  
Kissing Practice**

"Well, ladies! Shall we?" Toph said as she rubbed her hands together and looked at Aang and Zuko who were sitting on the couch across from her.

Zuko, instead of replying, angrily gnashed his teeth together as he ran a hand through his black locks.

"What's wrong with you, Sparky? It's not like I didn't tell you we were doing this, in advance." She said as she exasperatedly shook her head.

A pause followed and Aang warily glanced at Zuko's bowed head before letting his gaze slide to Toph. "Well, hopefully, you'll stop ignoring me once we're making out." She said brightly.

"AGNI! I hate you so MUCH!" Zuko growled as he pulled agitatedly at his hair.

"Zuko, stop that." Aang said as he pulled the fire bender's hand away from his head.

"Tell _her_ to stop!" Zuko cried childishly.

"I would, but you were the one who told me you had no problem with this." Aang said calmly.

"Yeah, well. I didn't mean it, did I?" Zuko snapped irritably.

"Oh, stop being such a baby, would you Sparky?" Toph said with a roll of her eyes.

A tense pause followed and then, Zuko's head shot up as he growled angrily. "I will not stop! Because I'm trying to get all you little _misfits_ to leave me alone so that I can take Aang to dinner." He yelled.

Toph tilted her head to the right and then laughed. "Misfit, huh?" She mused.

"Gah!" Zuko said angrily as he slumped back in his seat.

"Zuko, come on. It's just Toph." Aang said, a small smile curving his lips upwards at the mention of dinner.

"And what's 'just Toph' supposed to mean, Twinkles?" Toph demanded, sounding somewhat affronted.

"It means that no matter what he does, I won't mind because I understand." Aang snapped irritably.

Toph faltered and then shrugged. "Whatever. But that only applies if something actually _happens_. Which I don't think is going to, if your _boyfriend_ doesn't stop hyperventilating." She said disgustedly.

"I am not hyperventilating!" Zuko said angrily.

Toph, however, ignored him and merely looked at Aang who immediately pulled his feet off the ground. "Spirits, Twinkles!" She said with a guffaw. "Does referring to Zuko as your 'boyfriend' honestly make you that happy?" She asked with another cackle.

"Shut up, Toph." Aang mumbled as he flushed bright red.

"Yeah, shut up, Toph." Zuko said firmly, even though the small smirk tugging at his lips was unmistakable.

"Wow, you two are so _cheesy_, it's not even cute." She exclaimed.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Toph. But sneaking around and listening to people making out isn't exactly 'cute' either." Zuko said as he got to his feet.

"Hey, it'd be weird if I didn't." Toph said frankly.

"Sure and that's not creepy at all." Zuko muttered darkly as he moved to stand in front of Toph. "Well, here goes." He said uncomfortably.

"Yeah, here goes." Toph said but despite her best efforts, Zuko did not miss the light blush on her cheeks.

The two stared at each other for several seconds and Zuko suddenly became all too aware of Aang's gaze boring into the back of his head. He uncomfortably cleared his throat and then placed a hand under Toph's chin, lightly tilting it upwards. His hand shook slightly as he leaned forward and his lips were barely an inch from the earth bender's when he felt his cheeks flush red with color.

There was a pause and then he pulled back. "I can't do this!" He said shakily.

"Why not?" Aang asked.

"I just can't. Not with you looking me like that!" Zuko said as he pointed accusingly at the air bender.

"Like what?" Aang exasperatedly asked.

"Like that!" Zuko said.

"Zuko, don't be silly." Aang said with a reassuring smile.

"You don't mind?" Zuko asked, desperately praying to Agni that the air bender would say 'yes'.

"No, I don't." Aang said with a small chuckle. "I'm officially requesting you to please kiss Toph." He said.

Zuko's face contorted into a pained expression and he gave an exaggerated sigh before turning back to a blushing Toph. "Stop it!" He said harshly.

"Stop what?" Toph asked as she defiantly raised her chin.

"Stop blushing. It's...weird!" Zuko said uncomfortably.

"I'm sure everyone else does it too!" Toph snapped irritably.

"Yeah, but you don't. It's weird." Zuko said as he inched away from the earth bender.

"Zuko! Stop stalling." Aang said from the couch. "I promise we can go and have dinner after this, okay?" He said.

The fire bender faltered at the mention of dinner and then, with yet another sigh, turned back to Toph. "Okay, let's just get this over with." He said decisively.

"Hell yeah, Sparky." Toph cried and before either of them could ponder any further on the subject, Zuko had tilted her chin up again and crashed his lips against hers.

However, before he could do anything more, Toph emitted a small scream and then sprang away.

"What the _hell_?" Zuko demanded angrily.

"Sorry, sorry. Just keep your hands away from my waist. Got it, Sparky?" Toph said in what Zuko assumed was supposed to be a threatening voice.

"Whatever." He grumbled. There was a pause and then Zuko leaned forward again. His lips brushed against Toph's and even though his hands were nowhere near her body, he could feel her trembling. Zuko vaguely found himself wondering if he was really that bad a kisser.

There was a moment of hesitation and then, Toph slowly began to respond. Relieved, Zuko bit down on her bottom lip and then ran his tongue across it.

Next thing he knew, he was flat on his back across the room. "What the HELL?" Zuko roared as he sat up.

"Y-you! T-tongue! EWW!" Toph screamed as she backed away from him and vigorously rubbed at her mouth.

Zuko was prepared to stomp over there and kick Toph but was distracted as Aang began to giggle loudly. "Well, who would've that that the greatest pervert in the history of the Earth Kingdom was afraid of someone's tongue?" He teased.

"Shut up, Twinkles. Or I swear I'll castrate you." Toph spat out angrily.

"Isn't that what Katara was going to do?" Zuko wondered as he sat down beside Aang on the couch.

"Shut up!" She snapped and Zuko merely smirked as she grew even more flustered.

"Okay, okay." Aang said calmly. "How about we give you verbal instructions first? Then a demonstration. And then you two can try." He said with a smile.

"Verbal instructions?" Toph asked exasperatedly. "That has got to be the lamest thing I have ever-"

"I don't think this is any time to be picky, Toph." Aang stated flatly.

The earth bender faltered and then, grumbling, stomped over to the couch. "Fine." She said irritably.

"Okay, um, I think Zuko should do it." Aang said with a huge, innocent smile.

"Me? Why me?" Zuko demanded with a horrified expression on his face.

"Well, because you're older. And also because you've been in more relationships than I have." Aang said with a sweet smile.

"Last night, you were the older one!" Zuko accused. "And we've both been in equal amounts of relationships!" He pointed out.

"Jeez, Sparky. Just tell me!" Toph cried exasperatedly.

Zuko paused and then, glared at Aang before turning to Toph. "I don't know..." He began uncertainly. "I guess, I tilt up your chin first. Although, in your case I might have to throw back your whole head."

"Don't push it, Sparky." Toph said as she narrowed her eyes.

"Okay, okay." Zuko said as Aang snickered behind his hand.

"Wait, I have an idea." Toph said suddenly. "Why don't you just give me an instruction and then demonstrate it with Aang? And then another instruction and then another demonstration?" She said with an innocent grin.

"That's actually a good idea." Aang piped up.

Zuko hesitated for a second and then glanced at Aang. "You do realize that this is just another one of her attempts to 'see' us kissing, don't you?" He asked.

"Of course, I do." Aang said with a devious grin.

Zuko merely shook his head and then shifted on the couch so that he was facing Aang. "Okay, step one." The fire bender declared as the air bender mirrored his actions. "Lick your lips." Zuko said, trying not to imagine just how ridiculous it felt to say it out loud. Ridiculous or not, he found himself blushing as Aang smirked and then dragged his tongue across his lips.

The fire bender uncomfortably cleared his throat and then wrenched his gaze away from Aang's lips to look at Toph. "Got that?" He asked, his mouth feeling awfully dry all of a sudden.

"Oh, hell yes." Toph said with a perverted grin.

"Uh, okay." Zuko said as he licked his dry lips before turning to Aang who was staring at him with that same smirk on his lips. "Next, make sure you're standing close to me." Zuko said to Toph.

"Maybe we should stand up for this one." Aang suggested as his eyes sparkled with amusement.

Zuko faltered for a second and was vaguely aware of Toph giggling behind her hand as he dazedly looked at Aang. "Uh, sure." He said as the two got to their feet and turned to each other. "Like I was saying, stand close to me." Zuko said, his breath hitching in his throat as Aang pushed his lithe frame up against the fire bender's body in a way that could only be called provocative.

"And then, one of us makes the first move. If I tilt my head to the right as I move forward, then you tilt yours to the left. If I'm going for the left, you go for the right. You won't be able to see me, so you can go either way and I'll follow. Got that, Toph?" Zuko said as he found himself unable to tear his gaze from Aang's.

"Y-yeah." She said and Zuko did not miss the underlying giddiness in her voice.

"Next, let your eyes slide shut when your lips are almost touching mine. Don't hold your breath, breathe through your nose." Zuko said, the words spilling out of his mouth without him even realizing it. Aang stared up at him for several seconds before letting his gray eyes slide shut. "Open your mouth just a little bit." Zuko said.

The fire bender tried his hardest to concentrate as Aang's lips parted slightly and it was a struggle just to keep his jumbled thoughts at bay. His golden eyes roved over the air bender's closed eyes and his gaze slid down to Aang's lips just as his tongue darted out to lick them. The sight sent Zuko hurling off the edge and he had crashed his lips against Aang's before he could even realize what he was doing.

However, contrary to what Zuko had been expecting, Aang responded with fervor, his tongue darting out and making its way tantalizingly slowly over the fire bender's lips. A shaky moan reverberated between the two and it took Zuko several seconds to realize that it had come from his own mouth. A part of his mind was vaguely aware of Toph repeatedly sliding her foot across the floor as she tried to register as much of the vibrations as possible while the other was conscious of Aang's lithe fingers running through the hair at the nape of his neck.

The thought that Toph might witness him submitting so blatantly to Aang embarrassed Zuko and determined to prove himself, the fire bender tilted Aang's head further back. His tongue circled the air bender's own and he felt him momentarily relent. Zuko whole-heartedly took advantage of the situation and ducking his head he took Aang's bottom lip in his mouth. It was as if an unspoken agreement passed between the two and both of their eyes slid open as Zuko lightly sucked on Aang's bottom lip.

Zuko did not break eye contact and lightly nipped the air bender's lip, earning himself a soft whimper. Their lips lingered for a second more before they pulled away, their breath coming in heavy pants.

A long pause followed and then, Zuko ducked his head and lightly pressed his lips to Aang's eyelids. "That was..."

"I know." Aang murmured, a small giggle escaping his mouth as Zuko lightly kissed the corner of his mouth. The sound made the fire bender's expression relax into a smile and he found himself chuckling as Aang leaned into him.

"Holy SHIT!" Toph exclaimed and just like that, all sense of intimacy between the two shattered into a million pieces.

Zuko heaved a sigh and then reluctantly pulled away from a blushing Aang. "Holy shit, indeed." He said dully.

"Jeez, Zuko. Even after a kiss like that, you don't get sexually excited. What is wrong with you?" Toph asked in bewilderment.

"Well, excuse me for not being a horny, sex deprived twelve year old." He said bitingly.

Toph faltered and then, Zuko smirked as her cheeks flushed red. "Whatever, Sparky. You still have to kiss me." She pointed out snidely.

Zuko's lip curled in distaste and with a huff, he moved to stand in front of Toph; prepared for round four.

* * *

_Mwahaha, despite all her creepy pervertedness, Toph can't take a french kiss..Ahaha, lol, how I loved writing that :D_

_To **.They Call Me Alice.**: Lol, birthday sex! :D Sounds good xD And yess, do go all axe murder on her ass! o.o  
**MYnamesInvisable**: It's understandable XD I've never been particularly good with titles x.x Lol, thank you though ^^ And..hmm, what does happen when a fully transformed fangirl eats a fledgling fangirl? :P *pushes an update at you* Don't eat me x]  
Or the readers might eat you o.o  
**JessMess**: Lmao xD fiery passion of a 100 volcanoes.. I love it XD  
**FablerPheonix**: Miyako Suzuri and Team Avatar in one same room and no hitches? Hell no! xD Seriously, though, shit is going to go down at the ball o_o Be afraid xD And I read that fic...it was fucking HILARIOUS! :'D Epicness x] even though it was quiet disturbing xDDD  
Imagine Zuko calling Toph auntie XD  
Thanks for recommending that xD It was a spectacular read :D  
p.s: it took me several seconds to figure out what you meant by 'Aang's thing' but once I did, the grinning like an idiot thing happened again ;'D Your reviews are hilarious xD _

_Anyway! 200 REVIEWS! HURRRRAAAAYYYY! Dunno if you ppl even want to know but w.e, Susan3 was the 200th reviewer :DD  
Thank you so much for all the spectacular reviews you guys! You can't imagine how much I enjoy reading them :D_

_So, in celebration of 200 reviews, I give you a sweet/sexy Zukaang kiss [and a quicker update], in celebration of which, you shouldn't forget to review ;]_

_Fair deal?_

_...great :P_

_-Jade258 _


	23. Part XXIII: Sleeping Arrangements

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXIII  
Sleeping Arrangements**

"Zuko, you've been cleaning your mouth for almost fifteen minutes. Will you relax?" Aang called from where he was sprawled across the bed.

"I had to kiss Toph for two straight _hours_! I think I should be allowed to be as coquettish as I want." Zuko retorted as he viciously gargled.

"Just make sure you don't do that in front of her." Aang said with a grin.

"Will do." Zuko said as he bent over the sink and gargled once more.

"So, do you think she's improved?" Aang asked.

"Not really." He said slowly after a moment of consideration. "I mean, she barely knows what to do with her tongue. And she bit down on my lip so hard, it's still hurting." Zuko said with a roll of his eyes.

"We should give her another demonstration." Aang said and in the mirror, Zuko saw a devious grin curve his lips upwards.

"I am not kissing you in front of her again." Zuko said flatly. "I don't think its even healthy for a twelve year old to be so perverted. She needs to find herself a boyfriend. Even an infatuation would be good." He said thoughtfully.

"Infatuation?" Aang scoffed as he sat up on the bed. "And Toph?"

"Why not?" Zuko asked as he wiped his mouth with a towel and stepped out of the bathroom.

"I dunno. Just, Toph? That would be so weird." Aang said with a shrug.

"How so?" Zuko wondered as he clicked the door shut behind him.

"Well, Toph's just so...sturdy and all. To let a boy break through her defenses like that? It seems unlikely." Aang said.

Zuko paused for a second and then, a small and embarrassed smile curved his lips upwards.

"What?" Aang asked suspiciously.

"I won't say it out loud." Zuko said as he sheepishly rubbed his neck.

"Why not?" Aang asked with a pout.

"It's too cheesy." Zuko said as he plopped down onto the bed.

"It's you, Zuko. How cheesy could it possibly be?"

Zuko seemed to consider it for a second and then sighed. "I've seen a lot of people who might seem emotionally incapable but maintained a relationship just fine." He said.

"What's so cheesy about that?" Aang wondered.

Zuko merely frowned and then shot the air bender a meaningful look. "OH!" Aang said loudly as he chuckled. "You're talking about yourself." He said.

"Not just me. Mai, as well." Zuko said as he fell back onto the pillows.

"Mai?" Aang echoed.

"Yeah." Zuko said. "But whatever..." He said, swiftly changing the subject. "I get the feeling that Toph is already infatuated." Zuko said as he stretched luxuriously.

"She is? With whom?" Aang wondered as he lay down as well and turned on his side to look at Zuko.

"Sokka. Or maybe even me." Zuko said nonchalantly.

There was a pause and then:

"WHAT?" Aang demanded.

"Hey, it's not like I'm interested." Zuko said defensively.

"You better not be." Aang said flatly.

"Aang." Zuko said with a wry smile. "I'm not interested in little twelve year old girls."

"But you _are _interested in twelve year old boys." Aang pointed out.

"No, I'm interested in a hundred and twelve year old boy." He said with a grin.

There was a pause and then Aang laughed. "That was cheesy."

"You liked hearing it." Zuko said with a teasing smile.

"Maybe..." Aang said as he snuggled up against the fire bender.

"Definitely." Zuko murmured as he blew out the candle on the bedside table.

"Fine." Aang's voice said through the darkness.

"Good night, Aang." Zuko said with a smile.

"G'night." The air bender sleepily replied.

There was a pause and then, Aang opened his eyes. "How come, when we have the room to ourselves, we don't do anything?" He wondered quietly.

"What did you have in mind?" Zuko asked with a grin.

"Nothing. It was just a thought." Aang said defensively and the fire bender did not miss his muttered '_pervert_'.

"Go to sleep, Aang. We have to get up early tomorrow." Zuko murmured.

"Why?" Aang asked.

"You know how there's a whole squadron of 'discreet' bodyguards assigned to me?" Zuko began.

"Yeah, the Earth King said that I should have some as well but I said I would share yours." Aang said jokingly.

"Share? Aang, they're bodyguards." Zuko said with a chuckle. "Anyway, since we were all...busy today, I asked Suki to ask them to send us a whole team of...beautifiers." He said awkwardly.

"Beautifiers?" Aang asked in bewilderment.

"Yeah, beautifiers." Zuko said.

"That's a silly word." Aang observed.

"I know, but they'll make us look good." He said with a shrug.

"Why? We look fine." Aang said.

"Not good enough for royal functions." Zuko said. "I mean, Katara, Sokka and Toph _really_ need their help." He said.

Aang merely chuckled and shoved Zuko hard in the ribs. "Don't be mean, hotman." He said. "Katara and Sokka were never brought up for this kind of stuff. And Toph doesn't really care for it."

"Yeah, well. Their personal opinions don't really mean anything in this situation. Besides, it's not like they're ugly or anything, so they shouldn't have a problem." Zuko said as he stretched again.

"Hmm.." Aang said thoughtfully.

"Now sleep." Zuko murmured.

"Okay, then." Aang said as his arm snaked around Zuko's waist. "Good night, Zuko." He murmured. There was a rustling of the bedsheets and then, the air bender's warm breath was ghosting on his cheek. A small shiver ran down Zuko's spine as the air bender's fingers lightly traced his face as he looked for his lips in the darkness. He made a move to fire bend but Aang must have sensed it, because then, his lithe fingers were gripping his right arm. "Don't." He murmured.

"Aang, you should -uh, sleep." Zuko said, his golden eyes fixating on the silhouette of the air bender's hand as it traced his cheekbones.

"I should but I don't want to." Aang said and Zuko didn't have to look at him to know that he was smiling.

"Aang, come on. The ball is tomorrow. We shouldn't be doing this now." Zuko said.

"Doing what?" Aang asked innocently.

"Just...this." Zuko said uneasily. "It'll only make pretending more difficult." He said apologetically.

"This won't make a difference." The air bender protested.

"Aang, please." He said as he sat up. "This isn't a good idea."

"But-" He began but was cut off as Zuko's hand landed firmly on his mouth.

"Please, just go to sleep." He breathed quietly.

However, the fire bender's words ended in a yelp as Aang slowly ran his tongue over his palm. "Aang!" He said reproachfully as the air bender giggled.

"Relax, Zuko." Aang said as he pushed the fire bender back onto the bed and snuggled up against him again.

"I won't relax. Get off me!" Zuko protested.

"I'm not doing anything." Aang said innocently.

"Aang, your knee is in a rather unholy place so could you please just s-stop?" Zuko said, his breath hitching in his throat as the air bender shifted, causing his knee to rub against the fire bender's inner thigh.

"Live a little, Zuko." He said with a grin.

"Aang." Zuko groaned as he sat up again and hurriedly pushed the air bender's knee away.

Aang pouted and sat up as well. "What's wrong, Zuko?" He asked.

"Aang, we're supposed to spend tomorrow evening pretending to be straight in front of more than a hundred people. Miyako Suzuri will probably be bribing half of them and if we do this now, we could slip up." Zuko said, his voice sounding oddly pained.

"We won't slip up." Aang said.

"That's what you think." Zuko said as he swung his legs off the bed and got to his feet.

"Where are you going?" Aang wondered.

"To sleep on the couch." Zuko said as he gathered up his pillow and blanket.

"Honestly, Zuko. That's not even necessary." Aang whined.

"Yes, it is." Zuko said as he made his way into the living room and dumped his pillow and blanket onto the couch. "I can't spend all of tomorrow evening fantasizing about you. It won't help any." He said as he plopped down onto the sofa.

There were light footfalls on the wooden floor as Aang followed him, and then a soft laugh followed. "You fantasize about me?" He asked.

"I-No!" Zuko said. "Shut up." He said as he busied himself with punching his pillow into a comfortable lump.

"No, you just said you do!" Aang said.

"No, I didn't." Zuko snapped. "I just said I don't want to _start_ doing it."

"Well..." Aang began as he made his way over to Zuko and plopped down onto the low table in front of the couch. "If you don't fantasize about me, where'd all the sex fantasies come from?" He said with a smirk.

"From books!" Zuko burst out.

"You don't read." Aang pointed out.

"I do. You just don't know about it." Zuko said.

"Zuko, I spent the first month after the war in the Fire Nation with you. You never read anything other than old history books and I would know. The only time we _didn't_ spend time together was when we were sleeping." Aang said reasonably.

"Well, I read it before I went to sleep."

"Yeah, and I'm sure that the Fire Nation is practically bursting with vendors who sell gay erotica novels, right?" Aang said in a show of mock thoughtfulness.

"Get lost." Zuko said as he flushed bright red.

"I don't want to sleep in there alone. It's scary." Aang said.

"Just light a candle." Zuko said.

"But that'll give off too much light." Aang said.

"Deal with it, then. You're the Avatar." Zuko said.

"Yeah, but when you're there, it doesn't get cold." Aang insisted.

"Aang, you're a fire bender!" Zuko said exasperatedly.

"But you never taught me that technique where you raise your body temperature." Aang said with a devious grin.

"Agni!" Zuko said as he glared at Aang. "Deal with it." He said as he lay back onto the sofa.

"Fine, then." Aang said and the next thing the fire bender knew, he was being pushed hard into the sofa.

"What the hell are you doing?" Zuko said angrily.

"Dealing with it. Make some room, would you?" Aang said.

Grumbling, Zuko turned over onto his side so that there was enough space for Aang to fit. "This is uncomfortable." The fire bender snapped as Aang joined him.

"I know. But very cozy, don't you think?" The air bender said teasingly.

There was a pause and then, Zuko sighed in defeat. "Fine, but no touching." He snapped.

"_Sure._" Aang said mockingly and Zuko instantaneously realized just how stupid his words had been. He was currently being squashed in between the backrest of a couch and Aang. And everything from his chest to his legs were pressed firmly against the air bender's body.

"You're such a jackass." Zuko groaned as he draped his arm across Aang's waist.

"I know." The air bender said with a laugh.

There was a pause and then, Zuko sighed, his breath ghosting against the back of Aang's neck. "Good night. And don't move too much." He said before letting his eyes slide shut.

"Good night, Zuko." Aang murmured.

And it was that particular night that Zuko realized, that even though being squeezed to death in between a backrest and Aang could prove to be rather suffocating, it was a sleeping arrangement he didn't mind all that much.

* * *

The next morning, Zuko awoke to the feeling of a pair of lips pressed against his. "Aang.." He groaned against the lips. "Where the hell did you find flavored chapstick?" He murmured with a chuckle.

"Wow! Am I good enough to rival Aang?" A voice brightly called and Zuko's eyes shot open as he recognized it as Toph's.

"What the HELL?" He exclaimed as his eyes widened in horror and he sat bolt upright.

"Morning, Zuko." Aang called as he maneuvered his way in between the table and placed a tray onto it. "Toph, I told you no kissing until practice time. I'm not sharing Zuko." The air bender said as he plopped down onto the couch beside Aang.

"Yeah! And I don't want to be shared." The fire bender said as he vigorously rubbed at his mouth. "How could you let her do that to me?" He demanded as he shuffled closer to Aang.

"She wanted an unbiased opinion." Aang said as he shrugged and handed Zuko a napkin.

"Are you saying my opinion was biased?" Zuko asked testily.

"Well, you just thought I was Aang and that obviously means that I progressed yesterday but you just didn't want to admit it. I mean, I don't want to admit it but Twinkles_ is _a better kisser than me. So, now, I'm apparently at his level." Toph said happily.

"Ha! As if that could happen." Aang scoffed.

"Hey! Your boyfriend just thought I was you. So, obviously, its already happened." Toph said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I was disoriented." Zuko piped up as he peeked over Aang's shoulder at the tray sitting on the table.

"Hmph, fine." Toph said grumpily.

"Don't worry, Toph." Aang said. "You guys still have to practice some more. And I can give you some...tips." He said with an embarrassed smile.

"Tips?" Zuko and Toph simultaneously echoed.

"Yeah."

"What tips?" Zuko said irritably.

"Yeah, what tips?" Toph asked, even though she sounded considerably more happy about the situation than Zuko.

"You know..." Aang began as he glanced nervously at the fire bender. "What Zuko likes and all that." He said.

"What exactly do you mean by 'what Zuko likes'?" Toph asked suspiciously.

"You know!" Aang said uneasily. "What makes him moan?" He said awkwardly.

"Absolutely NOT!" Zuko said flatly.

"Why not?" Aang asked.

"Just because I said so. What makes me 'moan' is my business and there's no way I'm letting you tell her!" Zuko said indignantly.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry." Aang said with a smile. "I won't tell anyone."

"You better not." Zuko said.

"Okay, so before this transforms into a full on gay, lovey dovey moment, I'm going to have to interrupt." The earth bender said.

"Whatever." Zuko said as he stretched luxuriously and got to his feet.

"You guys should hurry up. Katara, Sokka and Suki will be here soon with the beautifiers." Aang said with a roll of his eyes.

"Already?" Zuko exclaimed. "What time is it?"

"Well, the sun rose about two hours ago." Aang said nonchalantly.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Zuko exclaimed in horror.

"Well..." Aang began with an embarrassed smile.

"You looked cute." Toph offered.

"Huh?" Zuko asked in bewilderment.

"That's what he told me." Toph said defensively.

"Hey! I confided in you." Aang said indignantly.

"Ha! People only confide in me if they want the whole world to know their secrets. Did I forget to tell you that?" Toph asked sweetly.

"Very funny." Aang said darkly. "Zuko, eat your breakfa- what's wrong?" The air bender said as his eyes fell on his expression.

"_Cute_?" Zuko repeated. "Cute?" He demanded.

"My favorite part." Toph said with a maniacal cackle.

"What? You did." Aang said defensively.

"I am _not_ cute!" Zuko said flatly. "You make me sound like a five year old."

Aang faltered and then laughed. "I didn't mean _that_ kind of cute." He said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Yeah, he meant the _Zuko-looks-so-hot-that-I-feel-like-fucking-him-into-the-couch _kind of cute." Toph said with a cheesy wink.

Aang, for a moment seemed to consider it and then, shrugged. "I won't put it that way but you got the general idea." He said and then laughed as he saw Zuko's expression.

"Did she brainwash you?" The fire bender asked in bewilderment.

"I was just kidding, Zuko." Aang said with a laugh.

"Liar." Toph whispered and Aang flushed.

"Shut up, Toph." The air bender said as he elbowed her in the ribs.

"You two are insane. I'm going to take a shower." Zuko said as he turned away,

"Aang wants to join you." Toph piped up. "I mean it, his heart just skipped a beat."

"Will you please shut up, Toph?" Zuko said as he padded his way into the bedroom.

Once the bathroom door had clicked shut and the water was running, Toph turned to Aang. "Jeez, he has a dirty mind."

"What do you mean?" Aang wondered.

"He was totally turned on by the thought of being in the shower with you." Toph said flatly.

Aang faltered and then blushed. "Toph, I really do suggest that you tone it down a bit. Seriously, you're beginning to freak me out." The air bender said.

"You two are way too easy. It's hardly my fault." Toph said nonchalantly.

Aang merely shook his head and stood up. "I'm going to make breakfast for the others. Drink your tea." He said before making his way towards the kitchen.

"Make something good." Toph called. "I get the feeling that today is going to be a _very _exhausting day."

* * *

_Lol, pretty much a filler chapter with lots of fluff x.x Still, it's the DAY OF THE BALL! :O I'm getting jittery xD_

_Remember that this is the __**11th Day of the Deal** but it's been twelve days since the story began. So, Zuko and Aang have four days left, including the day of the ball.  
Also, note that this chapter is pretty much unedited since I didnt have time to look over it x.x Honestly, it should be illegal for six people to have to share one computer -,-_

_Also, I had a bit of a review explosion for the previous chapter so thank you so much for those, you guys! ^^ I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review if you want to see some good ol' drama accompanied by a conniving bitch x]  
__Also, I get the feeling that Katara might be returning soon, along with another unexpected guest...Any guesses? xD_

_-Jade258 _


	24. Part XXIV: The Battle Plan

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXIV  
The Battle Plan **

"Oh Spirits!" Aang groaned as he sat down on the couch with his head between his legs. "I'm going to die." He said, his gray eyes widening with fear as he looked down at the floor.

"Aang, please. Just calm down." Suki said as she awkwardly patted him on the back.

"I'm going to slip up for sure. I just know it." Aang said desperately. "Miyako Suzuri will know and then, we're all going to die." He said, sounding like he was on the verge of tears.

"Aang, have you been talking to Sokka?" Suki asked testily.

"Yeah, like Snoozles will talk to him." Toph said from where she was standing in the middle of the living room. "I vote that you should totally stop having sex with him until he treats Aang and Zuko like actual human beings." The earth bender grumpily said.

"Oh Spirits. Someone help me..." Aang moaned as he sat up.

Suki's eyebrows, which had risen in alarm upon hearing Toph's words, rose even higher as her gaze slid down to Aang, who was beginning to look increasingly green. "Uh, Toph. I think you should go get Zuko." She muttered quietly.

"No, no, no!" Aang wailed. "Keep him away. Or it'll make things worse."

"Wow, this is the single most dumbest time to be having a sexual craving." Toph said.

"I am NOT-" Aang suddenly snapped but was cut off as Suki hastily spoke.

"Aang, I really think you should talk to him. You'll both be going through the same torture tonight. I think it'll help." Suki said with a reassuring smile.

The air bender faltered and then, sighed dejectedly. "Fine." He choked out. "But you two have to stay." He added hurriedly.

"I- sure." Suki said even though Aang did not miss the puzzlement in her voice.

"Oh, goodie." Toph said with a grin.

"I'll go get him." Suki said as she got to her feet and made her way into Zuko's bedroom. The air bender caught a murmured conversation and then the fire bender wandered out, looking slightly embarrassed. "What is it?" He asked uneasily.

"Twinkles Toes is hyperventilating and needs you to give him the kiss of life." Toph said with a cackle.

"Shut up, Toph." Aang said, his voice rising several octaves in his unease.

"What's wrong, Aang?" Zuko asked as he sat down on the couch. The air bender did not miss the meticulous manner in which he sat several feet away from him and for some reason, the sight made him feel sick to the stomach

"I- nothing." He said hoarsely as he looked away.

There was a pause and then, Zuko heaved a sigh. "Toph, could you give us a minute?" He asked irritably.

Toph seemed to consider it for several seconds and Aang was positive that she was going to refuse when he saw the fire bender's head snap towards her. He didn't know if Toph merely sensed the movement but the next thing he knew, she had stood up and joined Suki in the other room.

There was an uncomfortable pause and then, Zuko spoke. "Don't do this." He said stiffly.

"Do what?" Aang retorted irritably.

"Push me away. It won't make pretending any easier, if that's what you had in mind." Zuko said calmly.

"I'm not pushing you away." Aang snapped. "You're the one sitting three feet away from me." He accused.

The fire bender sighed again and then, shuffled closer to Aang until their knees were touching. "Aang, look at me." He said quietly.

"I don't want to." Aang said childishly. "Go away!" He exclaimed as Zuko suddenly grabbed hold of his chin and forced him to look up.

"Just one evening, Aang. It won't be hard." Zuko said quietly.

"You don't have to lie to me. Don't you think I would know that it's going to be difficult?" Aang demanded.

Zuko stared down at him for several seconds and then, shrugged. "You can do this." He said firmly. "Can't you?" He asked as his piercing golden eyes slid up to him.

"I d-don't know." Aang said as his face crumpled in defeat. "One mistake and you'll probably be disgraced for ever." He said mournfully.

"I won't be. Stop being so pessimistic, Aang." Zuko said calmly.

The air bender faltered for a second and then, a small and hesitant smile curved his lips upwards. "Look who's talking." He said hoarsely.

Zuko chuckled and then got to his feet. "Relax, okay? Today's going to go spectacularly." He said with a reassuring smile.

The fire bender awkwardly stood there for several seconds before latching onto Aang's wrist and forcing him to stand up. Aang did not miss the way in which his golden eyes darted uncomfortably toward the floor before he leaned forward.

"You don't have to, if you don't want to." Aang said, even though he felt somewhat offended.

"Don't be an idiot." Zuko said before leaning forward and pressing his lips to Aang's neck. When he pulled back, the air bender was pouting.

"What was that?" He demanded.

"No real kisses until the ball is over." Zuko said firmly.

"This is only going to make it worse, you know." Aang pointed out.

"I know." Zuko said with a gloomy sigh.

Aang frowned for a second and then, bit his lip tentatively. "Is it time to discuss the battle plans?" He asked nervously.

Zuko looked up in surprise, almost as if he had forgotten about them and abruptly turned to his bedroom. "I don't know. Depends on Toph, I suppose."

"You have got to be kidding me." A voice said as the door to one of the bedrooms swung open. "Is that honestly what you're calling them? Battle plans?" Katara scoffed.

"Snoozles insisted." Toph said as she threw open the door to Zuko's bedroom and sauntered out, followed by Suki.

"Where _is _Sokka?" Aang wondered as he looked around.

"Probably hiding under his bed or something." Toph said as she plopped down onto the sofa.

There was a pause and then, the door to the tribesman's room swung open. "I officially HATE your stupid beautifiers." Sokka said angrily as he stomped out into the living room. "They cut my hair! MY HAIR!" Sokka yelled as he tugged at the strands.

"I think you look nice, Sokka." Suki said with a smile.

"No, I don't. I look like a wimp!" He wailed.

"No, seriously, Sokka. It looks hot." Suki said.

The tribesman faltered and then, paused. "It does?"

"Yeah, Sokka. You even look better than Zuko. You look very...manly." Aang said from the couch.

"Oh, please. That's an army cut." Zuko said as he snickered.

"You're just jealous, Sparky." Toph said.

"Sure." Zuko said with a roll of his eyes.

"See, you admitted it." Toph said brightly.

"It's called sarcasm." Zuko said scathingly.

"Sure it is." Toph said and without giving Zuko time to respond, turned to the rest of them. "It's time for the debriefing. Sit down, all of you!" She demanded.

A few minutes later, everyone was assembled on the couch in front of Toph.

"So, as we all know, we have to go to a ball this evening. Proper dining etiquette, manners and generally savory behavior should probably have started kicking in by now." She declared, as she paced back and forth in front of them. "Our objective is simple. Get in, prove to everyone that Aang and Zuko are straight, and then get out." She said. "The first step will be simple enough since we have invitations. The second part? Not so much. There's a good chance that during this endeavor, Sparky will lose his girlfriend and that Aang will start hyperventilating."

"I can see how much faith you have in me." Aang said sourly.

"Just saying. Anyway, the interaction is the most difficult part." Toph said calmly. "You two are supposed to act like best friends, nothing less, nothing more. Don't avoid each other, that'll send the worst possible message. But don't get all lovey dovey either. Manly gestures like a clap on the back are acceptable. Unmanly gestures like a hand on the waist or an arm across the shoulder or a lovesick grin, are most certainly not acceptable. No lingering gazes, no blushing, no secret smiles. Got that?" She asked.

"Yes." Aang said abruptly.

"Don't stand close to each other. Aang, don't look to Zuko when you're in trouble. When someone even brings up the play or the rumors, brush it off with a smile, a jibe at the journalists, even a joke. Nothing too extreme. You have to make them think that you couldn't give a crap about what people say." Toph said. "However, if someone brings up the bar, get out. Seriously, there's no way you can deny that one. And absolutely no way that someone is going to believe that you were drugged. However, if you're confident in your diplomatic abilities, just say something like _it's funny how much Aang can look like a girl in the dark_." Toph said and then paused.

"Excuse me?" The air bender demanded in alarm.

"Actually, don't say that. Then they'll start asking what you two were doing in the bar in the first place." Toph said hurriedly. "Socialize only with the people that you know aren't brazen enough to bring up the gay bar but never, ever, ever make it seem like you're avoiding socializing with the big ones, either. Don't sit in a corner. Draw eyes to yourself. Don't stare at guys. Get into romantic situations with your date. If you want to sit in a corner, sit with them. Ducked heads, whispers, stolen kisses and that kind of shit. Try not to have too many slutty make out sessions with your date since that'll give off two messages. A, you are indeed, gay. B, you're a weird, horny teenager unfit to be in a position of power.

"Aang, stare wistfully at Katara. Zuko, when you're looking at me, don't overdo it. I don't even want to imagine what someone like you would do to a sweet, romantic gaze." Toph said as she shuddered. "Handle me like a jewel. Your hand always has to be on my waist and when you're away from me, glance at me every two minutes. Aang, when Zuko is away from me, don't come near me or else people will think he's looking at you."

"Okay." The two simultaneously replied.

"Now, my guess will be that Miyako Suzuri probably has lots of hot guys posted around the room. Aang, don't even think about falling for any of their acts. They're not sweet, they're not your friends. They're assholes." Toph said firmly. "Got that?"

"Yes." Aang said with a decisive nod.

"So, Sparky, when Aang does inevitably fall for their tricks and you see anyone making passes at him, DON'T charge in there like a komodo-rhino. People should think that you're brushing the flirt off like he's nothing. But if he starts getting too obvious, you have to intervene. Be suave, be collected. Aang is your best friend and you should have some modicum of protectiveness over him." Toph instructed.

"I'm not going to fall for their tricks!" Aang burst out defensively.

Ignoring him, Toph continued. "Now that we're done with these two, the instructions for the rest of you are simple enough. Suki, you should stay with Sokka for most of the time but if you see Aang, either blushing or stuttering, excuse yourself and invite him for a dance. Katara, show a little resistance while giving Twinkles away. He's the Avatar so a lot of bitches are going to be prowling around, looking for a dance with the savior of the world. Half of them will want to interrogate him about the rumors. Discreetly keep Twinkles in your sight, both of you." She instructed firmly.

"As for Sokka and me, we'll be assigned to Zuko. Me as the date who can handle any one who dares to take a jibe at you. And Sokka as the other best friend who's around to keep you company. You two should at least, try to make small talk. Snoozles, you're not allowed to freak out. If you do, I'll come and castrate you myself, got it?" She demanded firmly.

"Uh, sure." He said, his eyebrows raised in alarm.

"Okay, Zuko. Remember to dance as much as possible with me at the beginning of the dance. Then, let me wander around. Preferrably, go talk to Aang and then, let him dance with me. That way, I'll be able to keep an eye on anyone who tries to corner him." Toph said and then, calmly breathed out.

"That's it." She declared with a grin. "You all have to eat a little before you go. No growling stomachs and no stuffing your mouth with food at the table. Got it?"

There was a low murmur of agreement and then, everyone began to scatter. "Sparky, Twinkles, wait." She said as she made her way over to the couch they were sitting on and plopped down onto the table in front of it. "One last warning." She said quietly.

"There's more?" Aang said, his voice laced with panic.

"Just listen." She said seriously. "Now, there are a lot more gay guys in the royal and noble lineage than you would originally think. Some of them might be around Zuko's age. Others will be older. Now, there are certain guys who are very open about this sort of stuff. Trust me, I've seen them. They're even brave enough to dance with other guys in public."

"So?" Zuko asked.

"Under no circumstances, are you to have even a friendly dance with them. The thought might seem ridiculous now, but they're all silver-tongues, sons of diplomats and all that crap. They know how to woo and manipulate someone and trust me, if Suzuri has one of those under her wing, you two are _dead_." She whispered. "They know too much about you and if they even get a whiff of any sexual tension, they will _massacre_ you two. Not literally, of course, but they know how to play with words. They can make you do things." She muttered conspiratorially.

"Toph, you make them sound like blackmailers." Aang said with a laugh.

"They might as well be. _Don't_ underestimate them. And _don't_ go near them." She said stiffly.

"How do we tell the difference between the straight ones and the gay ones?" Zuko asked.

"You'll know when you see them." Toph said.

There was an awkward pause and then, Zuko and Aang exchanged a glance. "Okay." They said.

"Goodie! Now let's eat." Toph said brightly as she got to her feet.

"Hey, Toph!" Aang called as she began to make her way towards the kitchen.

"What, Twinkles?" She asked.

"Thank you." He said with a smile.

The earth bender faltered and then:

_Thump! Thump!_

"OW!" The two simultaneously cried as Toph's fist connected solidly with their arms.

"You're welcome. Let's go." She said with a grin.

* * *

_Lol, there were a lot of guesses concerning the unexpected guest at the Ball. xD Among them? Teo, Azula, Mai, The cabbage guy [XD], Miyako, Haru and Jet. Lol, unfortunately, its none of them xP If you want, you can keep guessing but I hope I can introduce the guest in the next chapter x]_

_Also, one more question: according to you, would an army cut look hot on sokka? xD  
Lol, do give me your views xD I find myself torn between warrior ponytail and army cut :P_

_To **FablerPheonix**: Mafia Boss? Aw, shit...I don't know why that appeals to me so much xD As for practicing, hmm, her pillow might seem like a likely option xD  
Lmao, that flavored chap stick thing just gave me an awfully sinful idea x]  
**JessMess**: Implying? Of_ course_, Zuko has naughty fantasies about Aang xD  
**artemiswood15**: Ah, if only it was jet. Then he could come along, sleep with Katara and everyone would live happily ever after xD _

_Lol, anyway, thank you all so much for reviewing ^^ Do keep going ;] Because next chapter marks the arrival of  
a) an unexpected guest, woot  
b) a jealous, very disheveled Zuko  
c) a moderately slutty Aang_

_xD Hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review!_

_-Jade258  
p.s: i just gave you a major hint as to who the unexpected guest shall be, in my A/N. Lol, see if you can figure it out x]_


	25. Part XXV: The Second Blow

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXV  
The Second Blow**

Aang raised his hand and tentatively knocked on the door to Zuko's bedroom. Several seconds passed in silence before the door was flung open by a grumpy looking Zuko. "What?" He asked.

"Nothing, I was bored." Aang said as he sidled into the room and looked around at the clothes sprawled everywhere. "What were you doing in here?" He asked in bewilderment.

"Looking for a black undershirt." He said darkly.

"Oh." Aang said and then chuckled. "Aren't you going to eat?" He asked as he lightly paced around the whole room.

"I'm not hungry. Aang, what was it that you wanted?" Zuko asked as the air bender continued to walk around the room.

"I'm not hungry either. Everyone's just sitting out there eating, so I thought, I'd come along and talk to you." Aang said brightly.

"You did, did you?" Zuko asked with raised eyebrows.

"Actually, no." Aang said with a grin. "I thought that I should check your wounds and bandage them up before we go. Toph said that she didn't want you to start bleeding when you two were dancing." He said.

"Oh, okay." Zuko said as he slid the door shut and began to fling the clothes off his bed.

There was a pause and Aang's voice was quiet when he said: "I'm sorry."

"About what?" Zuko asked in bewilderment.

"Katara. She still refuses to heal your wounds. I thought that since there were no more outbursts in the past two days, she could be back to normal. But now, she's just acting weird." Aang said with a sigh.

"You don't have to apologize for her, Aang. I'd much rather have you tending to me." Zuko said as he slid off his shirt and laid back onto the bed.

The air bender smiled wryly before placing his water skin beside Zuko and bending the water out. "Guess what happened." He asked with a devious grin.

"What?" Zuko asked as the air bender leaned over him.

"I told you to guess." Aang said with a pout.

"Hmm..." Zuko said thoughtfully as Aang peeled the bandages off his wound with one hand. "Miyako Suzuri died." He ventured.

"That's mean." Aang said reproachfully.

"Yeah, but it sure would make me happy." Zuko said absentmindedly.

There was a pause and then, Aang sighed. "Okay, I'll give you a hint." He said with a grin. "Look carefully at my mouth." He said.

"No." Zuko said flatly.

"Why not?" Aang whined as he bended the water onto Zuko's now exposed wound.

"Because I know what you're doing." The fire bender said, a content sigh slipping through his lips as the cold water grazed his heated skin.

"I'm not seducing you." Aang said with a laugh. "I'm trying to show you what I found in Toph's room. Besides, I'm twelve. I wouldn't even know _how_ to seduce someone." He said with an innocent grin.

"Really?" Zuko said as he suspiciously stared at Aang. "You could have fooled me." He said.

"Okay, so now that we have that out of the way, look carefully at my lips." Aang said brightly.

There was a pause and then, with a sigh, Zuko turned his head to look at Aang's lips. "What?" He asked. "I don't see anything."

"You do. Pay more attention." Aang said as he leaned forward.

"What? They're shining. That's all." Zuko said absentmindedly.

"Aha! You got it." Aang said happily.

"Got what?" Zuko asked in bewilderment as Aang began to bandage up the wound.

"You guessed. My lips are shining." The air bender said.

"Aang, stop confusing me." Zuko said.

"It's simple. I found this whole load of chapstick in Katara, Toph and Suki's bedrooms. It turns out girls really like this stuff." He said with a shrug.

"Oh, so you're implying that you're the girl in this situation?" Zuko asked with an amused grin.

"No, I'm not, you idiot!" Aang said as he shoved him hard. "I wanted you to try it."

There was a pause and then, the fire bender burst out laughing. "Aang. What on earth makes you think I'm going to wear chap-stick?" He asked.

"You don't have to wear it." Aang said with a devious grin. "Try it off my lips." He said innocently.

Zuko faltered and then, flushed bright red. "Wouldn't know how to seduce, huh?" He grumbled as he sat up.

"I'm not seducing you. It's just your dirty mind that keeps twisting my words." Aang accused.

"Oh, okay. So, you're here in my room when everyone else is eating and I know for a fact that you're starving since you were whining about it barely half an hour ago, trying to get me to eat chap-stick off your lips. I bet Toph didn't even ask you to check my bandages." Zuko said flatly.

Aang faltered and then grinned. "Okay, you caught me. But come on, try it." He said with a grin.

"No! Get out." Zuko said firmly.

Unperturbed, Aang continued to insist. "It's a new flavor. I bet you've never tried it." He said innocently.

"Aang!" Zuko said as he shuffled away from the air bender. "I told you, no kissing until after the ball!"

"Yeah, _you_ said that. I don't recall agreeing to it." Aang pointed out.

Zuko faltered and in one swift motion, Aang tackled him onto the bed. "Get OFF!" The fire bender hollered as Aang straddled and pinned him to the bed.

"Not until you try it." The air bender said bluntly.

"I don't want to try it." Zuko said.

"Liar." Aang said and the fire bender swore as he saw that his finger was placed firmly onto his pulse point. "Come on, you can have a taste. I know you want to." He said with a grin.

"No, I don't." Zuko said flatly as he wrenched off Aang's arms and sat up.

"You're a very bad liar, you know." Aang said as he leaned even closer.

And just like that, Zuko knew that he'd been fighting a losing battle. With a bad-tempered growl, he crashed his lips against Aang's, eliciting a squeak from the air bender. Aang momentarily relented but that didn't last very long and he was then, nipping playfully on Zuko's bottom lip. He was vaguely aware of the fire bender's hand sliding up to his shoulder and the next thing he knew, he was flat on his back with Zuko's tongue running insistently across his lips. Aang felt a soft whimper escaping his lips as the fire bender bit down hard before pulling away completely.

"Told you it was good." He said with a grin.

"What flavor was that?" Zuko asked, all thoughts concerning abstinence forgotten.

"Blueberry." Aang said brightly as he sat up.

"You should put that on more often." Zuko said as he thoughtfully bit his lip.

"Ha! I win." Aang said cheekily.

"As if." Zuko scoffed.

"Why? Want to prove me wrong?" Aang asked with an innocent smile.

However, before Zuko could reply, the door to the bedroom was flung open to reveal Suki. "The dresses are he-" She began but faltered as her gaze fell on them. Blushing, she turned her head away and uncomfortably cleared her throat. "Uh, the dresses are here. You guys should take yours and get dressed." She said, her discomfort merely growing as Zuko scrambled off Aang.

"Thanks, Suki." Aang said brightly.

"Sure." She said before sidling out of view.

Aang grinned once at a blushing Zuko before sauntering out of the room. With a roll of his eyes, Zuko pulled on a shirt and followed the air bender. Outside, the living room couch was draped with clothes wrapped in plastic bags. Suki and Katara were already doting over their new kimonos while Sokka looked down at his outfit with a skeptical eye. Toph merely sat on the low table with her chin propped in her hand.

"Spirits, this is beautiful." Katara breathed as she pulled her kimono out of the bag. Aang didn't have to see her in it to know that it would be a perfect fit. The stitching around the bodice made it clear that it would blatantly hug her upper body and the sleeves had strips of silken cloth sewed to them which, as Katara held out the kimono, reached down to the floor. The taut cloth of the bodice was dark blue while the rest was a light sky blue with white embroidery.

Suki's was the same as hers, only that the bodice was golden while the rest was a light mint green with dark green embroidery.

"Do you have a kimono too, Toph?" Aang wondered.

"Nope." She said. "I wouldn't be able to dance in one." She said with a shrug.

"Ours are so boring." Sokka said dully.

"They're not boring." Zuko said. "They're sophisticated."

"Pure black with colorful trimmings and belts? They're boring." Sokka said.

"At least you have colorful trimmings." Aang said as he held up his own clothes. "Mine are just white."

"Well, as far as I'm concerned there are three rooms and six people." Toph said and before anyone could register the implication of her words, she had dove into the nearest one.

There was a pause and then, everyone scrambled for the remaining two rooms.

* * *

"Now, don't we all look fabulous?" Toph drawled grumpily as she stomped out of her room.

"What's wrong, Toph?" Aang wondered from where he was standing on the couch, trying to fix Zuko's Fire Lord headpiece into his topknot. "You look spectacular." He said with a grin.

"This is so...tight." Toph grumbled, her hands fidgeting with the clingy top which reached down to mid thigh.

"It looks nice." Zuko reassured from where he was trying to smooth the wrinkles out of his black tunic.

"It does?" She wondered in bewilderment.

"Sure." Zuko said.

"Oh." The earth bender said as she plopped down onto the couch.

There was a pause and then, the door to Suki's bedroom was flung open. "We're running late." She frantically said as she gathered up her kimono and stalked into the living room.

"Uh, wow." Aang said in bewilderment as he looked at her. "You look really nice." He said.

"You don't have to sound so surprised." Suki said with a playful grin.

"Oh no! I didn't mean it like that." Aang said hastily but was cut off as she dismissively waved her hand.

"I was kidding. Where are Katara and Sokka?" Suki wondered.

"Here. Katara's hair got stuck in the zipper." Sokka said as he stumbled out of the water bender's bedroom.

"Okay, so we're all here." Toph said as she got to her feet. "Let's go." She commanded before starting towards the door.

"The coach is here?" Zuko asked as he fiddled with the gold belt around his waist.

"Yeah, Sparky. It's been here for fifteen minutes." She said and then, threw open the front door. "Come on, hurry up." She said hurriedly.

"Calm down, Toph." Aang advised as he began to make his way towards the door.

"With your dates!" She hollered, blatantly ignoring the air bender.

Everyone flinched and Aang hurriedly grabbed hold of Katara's arm before starting down the staircase. Suki and Sokka followed and in the end, Zuko nudged Toph to the front before stepping out and shutting the door behind him. "Are you feeling okay?" He wondered as they began to make their way down the staircase.

"No." She snapped.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

There was a long pause and by the time Toph spoke, they had reached the front door of the Jasmine Dragon. "I...this ball. It just reminds me a lot of all the stupid functions I had to go to with my parents." She said.

However, before Zuko could question her any further about it, Sokka's voice echoed throughout the street. "Hurry up! We're running late."

"Fashionably late." Toph reminded and beside her, Zuko chuckled as he held open the coach door

"Hey, Zuko." She said quietly.

"Hm?"

"Make this function different from the others, okay? I'm counting on you." She said with a grin.

* * *

"Okay, Sparky, Twinkles. Remember what I said. Don't stand too close to each other. Don't avoid each other." She reminded as their coach came to a halt at the steps to the Royal Palace.

"We know." Both of them replied.

"And if any of you leave your posts, I will come and massacre you. Understood?" She said as she turned to Suki, Katara and Sokka.

There was a low murmur of agreement and then, Sokka threw open the door to the carriage and made a move to get out.

"Hey! Stop right there, Snoozles!" Toph snapped. "We go according to ranking. Me and Zuko first. Then Katara and Aang. And then you two." She reminded before holding out her hand for Zuko to take.

"How I hate this." Sokka drawled as he slumped back in his seat.

Ignoring him, Zuko took Toph's hand and began to descend from the coach. Outside, he was met with general silence which was interrupted only by the whinnying of the ostrich-horses drawing the coach or the arrival of other guests. The steps leading up to the palace doors were lined by guards in impeccable armor and Zuko glanced around one last time before letting his grip tighten around Toph's hand and advancing towards the steps.

It took several minutes to climb up the stairs and by the time, they were done, Zuko had broken a sweat and was vaguely wondering just what was the point of having so many stairs. However, before he could ponder any further on it, Toph's urgent voice broke through his musings.

"Zuko, Aang's choking." Toph muttered quietly as they began to make their way through the palace doors. The fire bender was momentarily distracted by the amount of people in the reception area and he noticed several reporters, feverishly jotting down the statements by some people lingering along the sides.

"Choking?" He asked in bewilderment.

"Spirits, Sparky. It means he's beginning to screw up." She snapped.

"Oh no." He said darkly as they neared the large double doors of the hall. There were two people manning them, large hardcover registers clutched in their hands. Zuko nodded once at them and their gaze darted to his scar, then the Fire Lord headpiece on his head before hurriedly ducking their heads to write something.

"He's shaking. Make him calm down." She hissed.

"How do I do that?" He whispered angrily.

"I don't know. Do something!" She snapped and Zuko found himself growing nervous at the urgency in her voice. "He just tripped over his own feet. And we haven't even talked to anyone yet." She said.

"Let's get into the hall first. Too many people here." He said out of the corner of his mouth.

"Okay." She said and Zuko felt her quicken the pace. By the time they entered the hall, the fire bender was feeling uncontrollably apprehensive.

"Okay, go." She hissed and Zuko at once cut off towards the drinks table, from where he could have a clear view of the entrance.

As the air bender entered, his gray eyes swept the whole hall before coming to a rest on Zuko. The fire bender's expression relaxed into what he hoped was a reassuring smile and he felt the knot of tension in his stomach loosen as Aang's shoulder visibly relaxed. Satisfied, he turned to the table and poured himself some wine before doing the same for Toph and holding the glass out for her.

"You sure are quick to drink, aren't you?" Toph asked with a grin as she took the glass from him.

"Well, I have to seem preoccupied. Besides, the introductions will begin soon and then we'll have to stand in front of this whole hall for five straight minutes, grinning our faces off." Zuko said before taking a sip of his wine. "I might as well enjoy the beginning." He said with a shrug.

"Aang's choking again." Toph hissed.

"Already?" He asked in bewilderment as his gaze shot over to the pale air bender.

"Something is setting him off." Toph murmured but before she could say anything more, Zuko realized that the air bender was looking past his shoulder.

"Well, I always seem to have that kind of effect on people." A voice suddenly drawled from behind them and Zuko, in what he hoped was a nonchalant manner, sipped his wine and then turned around to face whoever it was.

However, what he saw next, made him choke somewhat gracelessly on the beverage and had it not been for Toph's fist connecting solidly with his back, he was sure that he would have spit it all out over the person in front of him.

Zuko didn't have to look behind him to know that Aang's gray eyes were boring into the back of his head and he didn't need to look up to know that the person whose hand was now resting on his shoulder had blonde hair, green eyes and was the same one who had given him a blowjob barely five days ago.

* * *

_**:O** :O :O  
Look who's back! And it's not just a coincidence either. I'll explain further as to who he his in the next chapter..._

_Lol, in the end, Dark Rook guessed correctly :D_

_Hmm, so I think that in my previous A/N i might have unknowingly implied that Aang was going to get all skanky with someone other than Zuko xD He isn't...not yet, anyway x]_

_Also, I think I pretty much screwed up the descriptions for the outfits and didn't get around to describing most of them :P So, I would suggest that you check out these links :D  
__**Zuko, Sokka & Aang**:_ _http : / avatar . wikia . com /wiki/ File: Zuko-Azula-clothes .png_  
_Only difference between the one in the picture and the actual outfits, theirs are pure black and the trimmings are deep gold, navy blue and white respectively. Also, since the picture isn't complete, I don't know what kind of robes they have in it. So, for Sokka, Zuko & Aang, they reach down to the knees, and are paired up with loose black pants._  
_**Toph**: Couldn't find a pic so bear with me here. A fairly clingy tunic that falls down to a little below her knees, paired up with fitting pants. Tunic would be a deep green in color. Pants are black in color with green embroidery. Full-sleeved shirt, btw.  
Couldn't find a pic for the kind of kimono I imagined for Suki & Katara but I hope the descriptions will be enough. If not, my bad? :P_

_To **Saniwa**: Sorry if I messed up your fasting :/ But then, I think I unknowingly messed up alot of my fasts writing this fic :P And thank you! :D  
**FablerPheonix**: Lol, that's a very...different guess. But one that made me visualize Zuko with a little baby sitting on his head, which is weird x.x Haha, its ironic as to how Zuko's the one who's going to need a back up plan now XD_

_Anyway, thanks a lot for all the reviews you guys! :D And for the guesses too xD [Ty Lee, Combustion Man, Bumi, Longshot]_

_Also, don't forget to review x] Coz the next couple of chapters shall be plenty of fun ^^_

_-Jade258_


	26. Part XXVI: The Observer

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXVI  
The Observer**

But even as he looked up at the boy, Zuko felt his breath hitch in his throat; from fear or arousal, he didn't know. Nor did he _want_ to know.

"You should ease up on the wine a little. The night's still young." He said with a smirk and for some weird reason, Zuko felt the blood rush to his cheeks.

"Sorry to interrupt, hotshot, but it's evening. Now, if you'll excuse us." Toph said in a clipped voice.

As the earth bender's hand closed firmly around Zuko's own and she began to drag him away, the fire bender got the most insane urge to hug and thank her a few million times. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She angrily hissed as her grip tightened painfully around his hand. "It's barely been five minutes and you've successfully managed to disobey every single thing I told you! Honestly, how could you have let that stud get to you?" She whisper-shouted.

"I-" Zuko began but faltered as his breath hitched in his throat. "I know him." He managed to choke out.

"You know him? That's the most pathetic excuse I've _ever_ heard." Toph hissed angrily.

"No, I mean...I _know_ him." Zuko said as his cheeks flushed red.

There was a pause and then: "Oh shit!" She said flatly and the fire bender internally groaned as a group of people nearby shot them a degrading look.

"It's nothing. I'll handle him." Zuko said.

"It's not nothing. Here we are at the ball which is going to define, possibly, the rest of your reign and you're telling me we just ran into a guy who you've slept with?" She whispered.

"I- no. I didn't have sex with him. It was just...a fun night?" Zuko attempted helplessly.

"Does Twinkles know?" She demanded.

"Uh, yes. He saw me with him." Zuko said sheepishly.

There was an awkward pause and then, Toph, instead of replying, merely shook her head. "You are...unbelievable." She said and before Zuko could say anything else, a thin voice rang throughout the room.

"Ladies and gentlemen. May I have your attention please?" A woman standing at a raised platform said in a lilting voice. "Thank you." She said with a smile that made Zuko want to make a face. "Allow me to introduce the honored guests for tonight's evening." She continued and then went on to spout the names of several notable politicians and diplomats. In the very end, she introduced Aang and Team Avatar and had it not been for Toph's hand tugging lightly at his, Zuko would have missed it completely.

The fire bender quietly followed Toph onto the platform, plastering something that could pass as a smile on his face. His gaze darted uncontrollably towards the drinks table and the fire bender's skin crawled as his gaze found the boy who was still standing there. A quick survey of the crowd found him Miyako Suzuri beside whom, stood Kenji. Her red-painted lips curved into a smile and Zuko's jaw clenched as she teasingly raised her glass to him. He felt the sudden most insane urge to empty the contents on her head.

However, before he could continue to entertain his fairly violent train of thought, it was time to go and he willingly left the platform with Toph. "Stop shaking." She breathed quietly as they made their way onto the dance floor.

"I'm not shaking." Zuko snapped.

"Yes, you are." Toph said quietly.

"I am not-" Zuko began but then sighed tiredly. "This is all going wrong. He wasn't supposed to be here." He groaned.

There was a pause as they stepped onto the dance floor and Zuko merely watched as Toph smiled and then held out her hands. The fire bender, taking her hand in his, pulled her closer to his body just as the music began.

"If you choke now, trust me, I'll kill you before they do." Toph said.

"But-"

"No fucking buts. He's just another pawn in Suzuri's game." She murmured firmly.

"He is?" Zuko asked in bewilderment.

"Of course he is. Did you think he just popped out of nowhere? Miyako Suzuri knows him because I can feel the two of them talking right now." Toph murmured and gave his arm a hard yank as he made a move to crane his head to look at her.

"Where's Aang?" Zuko asked worriedly.

"He's fine. But he practically exploded when that hotshot touched you." She said with a snicker.

"It's not funny." Zuko snapped.

"On the contrary, Fire Lord Zuko, dramatic and ridiculously complicated love lives are incredibly hilarious and entertaining." Toph said.

"Whatever." Zuko grumbled. They danced for the rest of the song in relative silence before his eyes fell on a scene that did nothing to calm him. "What the hell is Katara doing dancing with Suzuri's butler?" Zuko asked in alarm.

"Oh, so that's who he is." Toph said with a grin.

"But she left Aang all alone." Zuko hissed through gritted teeth.

"He's holding up well. At least his heartbeat is stable." Toph said brightly.

"Stop doing that!" Zuko snapped.

"What?" She asked innocently.

"You have to tell me what you're feeling." Zuko said angrily.

"If I do, you'll panic." Toph said quietly.

"No, I won't." Zuko snapped.

"Oh, really? So what would you do if I told you that Aang's currently being cornered by Miyako Suzuri?" Toph asked.

"What?" Zuko exclaimed in alarm.

"See. That's why I'm not telling you." Toph said quietly.

"But we have to do something." Zuko burst out.

"Firstly, keep your voice down, would you? And we can't just leave in the middle of the dance. Now concentrate, you're crushing my feet." Toph hissed.

There was a pause and then, with a dejected sigh, Zuko concentrated on keeping his feet away from Toph's. He hadn't been paying much attention during the earlier stages of the dance, but now, he was beginning to notice the grace with which the earth bender moved. For some reason, it alarmed him. "You look odd." He said with a grin.

Toph tilted her head to the side and her lips curved into a smile as her sightless eyes looked at a random point of his chest. "I feel odd." She said.

"Why? You're a really good dancer." Zuko said as he narrowly avoided another couple.

"Sparky, I'm an earth bender. We're not meant to be light on our feet. That's Twinkle Toes." She reminded.

"Still, it doesn't hurt that you are light on your feet." Zuko replied shortly and sighed in relief as the song came to an end.

"He's by the drinks table. Go, fast." Toph said as she nudged him forward.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked, feeling slightly apprehensive at the urgency in her voice. However, before Toph could reply, Zuko spotted a head of blonde hair in his peripheral vision and his jaw at once, tightened with irritation.

"Many would think it an honor to have a chance to dance with the great Lady Bei Fong." He said smoothly to Toph, his green eyes fixating on Zuko. "May I have this dance?" He asked.

"Hm, who's asking?" Toph asked and despite the fact that the words were so carelessly spoken, the earth bender managed to make them sound refined and formal.

"Lord Kazuhiro." He replied suavely, his gaze never leaving Zuko's face.

"I don't see why not." Toph said with a smile so suggestive that it made Zuko's eyebrows rise comically.

The fire bender hastily cleared his throat and with a curt nod at Kazuhiro, turned around, only to find himself face to face with Miyako Suzuri.

"It's been a long time, Fire Lord Zuko. We've missed you and the Avatar." She said with a smirk.

"Pity. We haven't missed you." Zuko said bitingly.

Her lips curved into an amused smile and Zuko didn't need more than a second to realize that she wasn't about to let him go. So, with an internal groan, he held out his hand.

"Good boy." She said with a wink that made Zuko want to hurl. She placed her hand in his and Zuko begrudgingly began to lead her onto the dance floor just as a new song began.

The pathetically minute optimistic part of his mind told him that it would improve his image to be seen dancing with someone as physically appealing as Miyako Suzuri. After all, with her smoky eye make-up and form-fitting dress, she did look oddly dramatic.

"Zuko, Zuko, Zuko." She murmured into his ear as he pulled her close.

The fire bender gritted his teeth and took a childish pleasure in noticing that she was shorter than him.

"You might think that your secrets are hidden safely within that little apartment above your Uncle's teashop. But I know everything." She said with a lilting chuckle.

Zuko's breath hitched in his throat and for a second, panic threatened to overwhelm him. Until, the logical part of his mind reminded him that she hadn't said anything about him and Aang.

"Really? What _do_ you know?" Zuko wondered.

"I know that you were at that gay bar five nights ago and that Kazuhiro and you had a fun night." She said with an almost feral grin on her lips.

"That's sadly little. I would have expected the great Miyako Suzuri to have scavenged more in these five days. But then, I guess we all miscalculate." Zuko said, the words spilling out of his mouth before he'd even realized it.

The fire bender saw annoyance flash across her face but a second later, her aristocratic features were arranged in an expression of aloofness. "I also know that you were admitted into the hospital early the next morning, _very_ badly beaten up. A broken rib, broken nose, internal bleeding, I hear." She breathed into his ear. "At first I suspected that it was a non-bender but after seeing the Avatar worrying himself sick over you in the waiting area, I guessed it was him." She said with a grin.

The fire bender was stumped for just a second, a part of his mind wondering just how well-connected she was to have gotten her hands on his medical reports. A knot began to form in his stomach and had it not been for the sound of her laughter in his ear, he would have continued his train of thought.

"So, you've been stalking us?" Zuko said.

"You could call it that. I can tell that my people have managed to evade your attention until now." She said with an almost feral grin on her lips.

"What makes you say that?" Zuko asked in what he hoped was an aloof manner.

"You're apprehensive. Your heart is beating fast. And you're surprised." Miyako said.

"Am I?"

"Yep." She said cheerily. "This little line between your eyebrows..." She said and the fire bender cringed as her fingers lightly grazed the bridge of his nose. "It gives you away." She murmured.

"Do you know what gives you away?" Zuko asked with a smirk.

"What's that?" She wondered.

"You're here dancing with me." He said. "Which means that you don't know the whole story. You know there's one little thing that's missing and that's why you cornered Aang. You thought that he'd break but he didn't so now, you're here talking to me. Later, I'm guessing your little boy toy will ask to talk to me in private when I'm in front of someone else. That way refusing him won't be an option. I'll go with him and he'll try to seduce me." Zuko said and then pulled away to look into her eyes. "How am I doing?" He asked.

"Pretty good." She said with an amused grin. "But you forgot to tell me what you'll do when Kazuhiro tries to seduce you."

For several seconds, Zuko did not reply and as the music crescendoed, he momentarily allowed himself to get into it. Just as he felt Miyako's impatience growing, he spoke: "Stay close and you'll see." Zuko said and then, pulled away without waiting for the dance to come to an end. He bowed once before turning on his heel and making his way off the dance floor.

* * *

_Lol, Miyako and Zuko battling to see whose observation skills are better :P  
__This chapter is dedicated to **cabingirls** :P HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY! XD *hands you a box of gift-cookies* :P____Btw, I don't know where you live but its midnight here [GMT +3] ^^_

_Also, thank you so much for the reviews you guys! Even though their numbers were cut in half hmph..So, you better review, else my muse will magically disappear :P_

_So enjoy and don't forget to review!_

_-Jade258_


	27. Part XXVII: Not So Smart After All

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXVII  
Not So Smart After All **

Zuko quietly breathed out as soon as he was sure that he was out of Miyako's line of sight. A part of his mind was still trying to register that it had been _him_, Zuko, the most hot-headed person in Team Avatar and possibly the most tormented person ever, who had just managed to get through a conversation with Miyako Suzuri without outright threatening to rip her head off. The thought brought on the most insane urge to laugh but he managed to hold it in just long enough to reach the drinks table and pour himself a shot.

However, as his gaze slid back to the dance floor and he spotted Toph, who was roughly around four and a half feet and Kazuhiro who was well over six feet, dancing together, he snorted into his glass of sake. He managed to hold back the laughter threatening to burst out as he reached over to the napkin dispenser and hurriedly pulled one out. With one measured swipe, he wiped off the liquid dripping from his chin and a deep breath later, he was back to normal.

He downed his drink and turned back just in time to find himself face-to-face with Kazuhiro. "Back again?" The fire bender drawled as his lip curled distastefully even though, inwardly, he was exhilaratingly pleased with his performance.

"I was wondering if I could have a word." He said.

"Change of plans?" Zuko said as his lips curved into a smirk and his golden eyes flicked towards Miyako who playfully waggled her fingers at him. "I'm guessing your mistress isn't very smart. I know what you're trying to do." He said quietly.

"Let's see if I can surprise you." He said, a smirk of his own dawning on his lips.

Zuko's expression faltered and his jaw tightened with irritation as Kazuhiro cocked an eyebrow challengingly. There was a pause and then, slamming his glass down onto the table, he followed him towards the sidelines of the room. There were several glass-paned doors which led out onto dimly lit balconies, obviously meant for playful and secluded trysts between dates. As Zuko followed him out onto the balcony, the atmosphere coupled with the stupid candles and flowers on the railing, made him shuffle uncomfortably.

"What do you want?" Zuko asked bitingly as he turned around to face him. However, what he saw next made his eyes widen. "What the _hell _do you think you're doing?" He snapped viciously.

"Having a divine intervention." Kenji drawled from where he was holding Aang firmly against the wall. The air bender, spotting Zuko, struggled even harder but Kenji's fist tightened around his wrist and with a hiss, Aang stilled. Zuko figured that the only reason he hadn't air bended yet was because the balcony stuck out over a rather precarious fall. The realization caused the fire bender to vaguely curse Aang's insistence on pursuing his pacifistic beliefs.

"This is low even for you. Let him go." Zuko spat out angrily.

"Can't." Kenji replied shortly.

"Agni, you two are idiots. You seriously think you can take on the Avatar?" Zuko drawled as he leaned against the railing of the balcony.

"He's not particularly serious about the attacking part." Kenji said with a snicker. "Apparently, whining is how little kids do it nowadays."

"I'm guessing that's how your mistress does it too." Zuko replied bitingly, his stomach twisting as Aang shot him a pleading look.

There was a tense pause and then, Kenji let out a harsh laugh. "Miyako knows she's missed something. That's why we're here to extract it from you." He said unpleasantly.

"Extract, huh?" Zuko said with an amused grin, his golden eyes never leaving Aang's face.

"By any means necessary." Kazuhiro said as he leered at Zuko.

There was a pause and then several sounds echoed in the silence of the balcony. The first was the sound of gravel crunching underneath Zuko's boot as he stepped towards Kazuhiro. As the fire bender skidded to a halt, several small rocks rolled underneath his feet, the sound punctuated by a grunt of exertion as he lashed out at Kazuhiro. It was followed by a loud thump as the taller man's body crumpled to the floor. Another tense pause followed and then:

"Well, I'm going to stop you..." Zuko began. "_By any means necessary_." He said in a prissy voice which was punctuated by a derisive snort as he mimicked Kazuhiro.

"I thought you might do that." Kenji said, seemingly unfazed. There was a pregnant pause and, then a tremor ran through the ground beneath Zuko's feet; a tremor which made his teeth clack hard against each other.

An earth bender. Just _great_.

"You and Suzuri are insane." Zuko said as his hand shot out to grip the railing of the balcony.

Ignoring him, Kenji stepped forward, dragging Aang along as well. The air bender's eyes flicked once towards Zuko before darting away just as Kenji looked down at him again. "Tell me everything." He demanded.

Zuko's lips curved into an amused smile and he continued to look expectantly at Kenji. However, when the taller man did not speak, he bitingly said: "This is where the nemesis typically spouts the terms of the deal and as far as I'm concerned, you don't have any hold over me. Maybe you and Suzuri should go and learn how to be bad guys, instead of simple-minded idiots who just make me _laugh_."

His speech was followed by a tense pause and even in the darkness, he saw Kenji's lips curl in distaste. But the sight of Aang's downcast eyes brought on a weird urge to prove himself and the words were spilling out of Zuko's mouth before he even realized it.

"Oh, wait. Is _Aang_ supposed to be the leverage?" Zuko said in a show of mock thoughtfulness. "You'd honestly go far enough to harm the Avatar just to get some dirt on me?" He said with a derisive laugh.

"Yes, I would." Kenji said with narrowed eyes and Zuko gritted his teeth as he saw the older man's grip tighten around Aang's wrist again.

"Have you stopped to think what the Avatar would do?" Zuko snapped bitingly. "You're no match for him."

"Our little friend may be the Avatar but in the end, he's just a little twelve year old boy." Kenji spat out and Zuko eyes narrowed as his gaze darted towards Aang before fixating on Kenji again.

There was a tense pause and when the taller man finally realized that Zuko had nothing to say, he continued. "Miyako is offering me a lot of money for this. This is one of the biggest goldmines she's ever hit and she's not going to let you two slip out of her fingers, right when she's almost figured it out." He spat out venomously.

_biggest goldmine she's ever hit..._

The phrase rang tauntingly in Zuko's head and his gaze at once snapped to Aang again. "This has gone on for long enough." He said angrily and as if abiding by some unspoken rule, Aang kicked back his leg, the heel of his foot connecting solidly with Kenji's groin.

There was a pause and then the taller man crumpled to the floor, wheezing. Zuko stepped up to him and one kick to the head rendered him unconscious. Dusting the dirt off his clothes, the fire bender turned to Aang only to see him standing stiffly, his expression guarded.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked, his apprehension growing as the air bender silently shook his head.

"Aang?" The fire bender repeated worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"He said he'd-" Aang began but faltered as his breath snagged in his throat.

"What? What did he say?" Zuko said as he stepped forward and lightly tilted up Aang's chin.

"If I didn't tell him. He said he'd _do_ things to me." Aang managed to choke out and Zuko's jaw tightened with anger as tears welled up in the air bender's eyes. "He said that he would r-ra-" Aang began but faltered, unable to get the word out. "He said he would..." The air bender tried again but trailed off as the tears spilled down his cheek.

"Did he touch you?" Zuko demanded.

"N-no." Aang said as he looked away.

A tense pause followed and Zuko's expression contorted with rage. "You're lying." He spat out angrily.

"No, I-I'm not." Aang began but faltered as Zuko grabbed him by the collar and pulled him forward.

"_Did he touch you_?" Zuko hissed angrily and if anything, Aang shook even harder as sobs wracked his lithe frame.

"Yes!" The air bender said and then gasped as Zuko pushed him up against the railing.

"You should have air bended that _bastard_ off this balcony." Zuko hissed angrily as his other arm curled protectively around Aang's waist.

"Stop it." He choked out as Zuko looked ready to spout some more profanities.

There was a tense pause and Aang squeezed his eyes shut as he bowed his head. "Could you just stop for two seconds? I just told you that someone almost raped me and all you can be concerned about is telling me to have blasted him off the balcony! What is wrong with you?" Aang yelled as he shoved the fire bender hard in the chest.

"What else am I supposed to say?" Zuko hissed angrily. "Should I tell you to have let him have his way with you?" He demanded.

"That's disgusting." Aang spat out angrily.

An awkward silence followed and the air bender hastily avoided Zuko's gaze which seemed to be growing more intense with each second. However, this proved to be quite a feat since the fire bender's face was barely two inches from his own. "Let me go." He said stiffly.

"No, she'll send more of her little minions." Zuko said flatly.

"Like you're any better." Aang spat out.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He demanded angrily.

"Don't think I didn't see you getting all friendly with him." Aang said as he jerked his head in Kazuhiro's direction.

"I wasn't getting friendly with anyone!" Zuko snapped. "He was coming on to me."

"Sure." Aang spat out venomously before his hands slid down to Zuko's arm which was encircling his waist and he ruthlessly dug his fingernails into the pale skin.

"Stop that!" Zuko reproached as he winced.

"Let me go." Aang repeated coldly.

The fire bender faltered for a second and Aang felt his discomfort growing as a small smirk dawned on his lips. "I get it." He said quietly.

"Get what?" Aang spat out.

However, instead of replying, Zuko merely ducked his head and pressed his lips against the tears on Aang's cheeks, making the air bender's breath hitch in his throat. "Stop it. Someone w-will see." He hissed.

"So?" Zuko murmured against his skin.

"Yeah, _so_?" A voice drawled from behind them and Zuko felt a tremor ran through Aang's body as his eyes widened in fear.

"Didn't turn out to be so smart after all, did you, Zuko?" Miyako drawled from where she was leaning one shoulder against the wall.

"You..." He snarled as he let his hands fall to his side and stepped away from Aang to face her.

"Did you honestly think that I didn't know you would make quick work of these two imbeciles? One is a non-bending pretty boy and the other is almost thirty and has still not mastered earth bending. What match are they for the Fire Lord and Avatar, right?" She asked with an amused smile.

Zuko's jaw tightened with anger and he was vaguely aware of Aang shaking behind him. When he did not reply, Miyako continued.

"You may see me only as a pretty face but I _am_ a match for the Avatar and Fire Lord. I've been doing this for years and I might not have gotten someone as big as you two before, but I do know how to handle this." She said smugly and paused before thoughtfully saying: "I had a sneaking suspicion that this was what was missing but then I thought, the Fire Lord. A homosexual? It seemed unlikely. Especially since considering that you prize your honor above all else, it would have been disgraceful to take a boy. Especially a child." She said. "This game has been going on for long enough but you marginally impressed me with your observation skills. So I'll give you another chance. What do you say?" She asked as she tilted her head to the right.

Zuko bit his tongue to keep himself from flinging some rather colorful swearwords at Miyako and instead, resorted on counting to ten in his head.

"I'll take that as a _Gee, thanks, Suzuri! You're totally awesome for giving us a chance even though we know we're going to lose_." She said and then chuckled. "You have until tonight. Then the deal's off." She said conclusively before turning on her heel and sweeping out the door.

* * *

_Lol, in the end, Suzuri prevails xD_

_To **Strawberry Syrup**: If you think about it, Aang and Zuko wouldn't be together if it weren't for Miyako xD Even if she is a bitch xD  
__And thank you so much...I'm awfully flattered since I consider myself to be a pretty average writer :D And yess, I do intend to give you a good story :P  
__**FablerPheonix**: Lmao, being a Katara XD I should say that to my sisters when my parents are around :P And thank you :D I'm flattered ^^  
__Thank you so much for all the reviews you guys! :D_

___So the ball is turning out to be such a pain to write. *smacks head on the table* Lol, I'm quickly running out of ideas.  
Still, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and do review. Some of the weird ones actually give me ideas xD Its funny._

___-Jade258_


	28. Part XXVIII: Unwitting

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXVIII  
****Unwitting**

Several minutes passed in silence once Miyako left and then, Zuko let out a harsh breath. "Agni..." He hissed angrily.

"What do we do?" Aang asked in a small voice.

There was an awkward pause and then Zuko turned around to face the air bender. "Just... go back inside. I'll handle this." He said through gritted teeth.

The air bender's eyebrows rose and Zuko's gaze snapped towards him as he snickered. "What's so funny?" He snarled.

"I was just wondering how you intend to handle this when you're the one who just got caught kissing me." Aang said and despite Zuko's annoyance, the knot in his stomach loosened as the air bender wiped away the tears streaking his face and shot him a hesitant smile.

"It's my fault we were caught. I'll handle this." Zuko said firmly.

Aang's eyebrows rose and Zuko internally cringed as an offended look dawned on his face. "How do you intend to do that? I'm not sure that threatening, whining or just outright sulking are going to help in this situation." The air bender said smoothly, causing Zuko to look up with raised eyebrows.

"What did you have in mind?" The fire bender asked irritably.

Aang paused and despite himself, Zuko felt a smile tugging at his lips as the air bender pouted. His golden eyes trailed almost thoughtfully down to Aang's mouth and he was just tracing the outline with his eyes when the subject of his attention curved into a smirk. "You are perverted." Aang said matter-of-factly.

Zuko's expression immediately transformed into a scowl and ignoring the warmth on his cheeks, he looked up at Aang. "Well?" He snapped irritably.

"I was thinking..." He began thoughtfully.

"What?" Zuko asked impatiently.

Ignoring the fire bender, Aang continued to think hard for several more minutes before looking at Zuko. "I've had enough." He said flatly.

"What?" He asked in bewilderment.

"You heard me. Miyako Suzuri is just a sad little girl who's looking for some attention and I'm growing tired of this stupid game." He said firmly. "Let's just let it go, Zuko." He said pleadingly.

"Let it go? But then-"

"Yes, she'd win. We'll be hated for a while but eventually, everyone will get bored. Like Miyako said, gossip can only last for so long." Aang said with a bright smile.

Zuko looked at the air bender in astonishment and when, after several minutes of silence, the expectant look did not vanish from his face, the fire bender forced himself to speak. "Aang, this isn't a game. This is going to affect the rest of our political reigns." He said firmly.

"That's just the point!" Aang exclaimed indignantly. "We'll tell everyone we're bisexual, which we quite possibly are. That way, I'm even more of a neutral party. Don't you get it, Zuko? This is the perfect opportunity." He said brightly.

"Yeah it is a perfect opportunity. For you!" Zuko said irritably. "Sodomy is illegal in my country. I haven't been the Fire Lord for six months and now you're telling me to do something that could very easily get me killed." He exclaimed. "I might be the Fire Lord but even I can't handle thousands of people revolting against me. There's been at least a marginal improvement in the riots breaking out across the Fire Nation but if I tell them I'm bisexual, we'll be back at square one in the same hell as that at the very end of the war." He said angrily.

"Let them riot! I'll be there. I'll help you stop them." Aang said firmly.

"No, you won't! Because they won't let you. The Earth King needs you here. He's barely fit to do this on his own because he doesn't have the faintest idea of what is going on beyond these stupid walls. The whole Earth Kingdom is rotting away and compared to them, the Fire Nation is better off so you'll have to stay here." Zuko said bitterly.

"No, I won't! I can do whatever I want. I'm the Avatar." Aang protested.

"Aang, be reasonable! These bastards are politicians. Do you honestly think they'd let you go and help the nation that's been destroying them for a hundred years when their own is dying? They'll keep you tied down here. Bribery, blackmail. Trust me, they'll do _anything_."

"But I'm just twelve! How am I supposed to help them?" He yelled.

"You're the Avatar. Sure, everyone hates the Fire Nation but right after that, they hate the Earth King and Ba Sing Se because he never did anything to help them. The people don't trust this government so the Earth King needs you! To show him and his government in a good light and to make it look like they're actually doing something." Zuko said as he threw up his arms in frustration. "Open your eyes, Aang. You're just a pawn in their stupid game!" Zuko hollered angrily.

The fire bender at once fell silent, his chest heaving with exertion as he turned away and ran a hand through his hair, knocking his Fire Lord headpiece clean off his head. "Go to hell, Zuko." Aang spat out angrily.

There was a tense pause and then, the fire bender reached up and undid his topknot, allowing his black locks to fall into his face. "Yeah. I should go to hell because I just told you something you didn't want to hear, right?" He asked condescendingly.

"No, you should go to hell because no matter what, you, Katara, Sokka, Suki, everyone! You will never stop underestimating me!" Aang yelled.

"This isn't about tha-"

"No, no! This_ is_ about that. Do you think I'm BLIND?" Aang yelled. "I was thrust into politics whether I liked it or not. How clueless do you think I am? I know just as much about these conniving thieves as you do. And that is why I'm going to outsmart them and go to the Fire Nation with you after we tell them." He said firmly.

There was a pause and then, Zuko harshly laughed. "What are you going to do when we do tell them? Are you going to try and convince yourself that you're doing this for _me_?" He demanded.

"I _am _doing this for you!" Aang yelled indignantly.

"No, you're not. This is just some stupid game about proving yourself to the world. Because you vanished for a hundred years, you're going to put my reign in jeopardy just to quell your fucking insecurities!" Zuko spat out viciously.

However, one look at Aang's face instantly made him regret his words. A tense silence fell and then, the air bender shook his head as if he were disgusted by Zuko. "I can't believe you." He hissed angrily and without another word, turned on his heel and stormed back into the ballroom.

* * *

"She got you." Toph said bluntly as soon as Zuko reached her.

"Huh?"

"I felt everything." She replied smoothly. "What the hell do you think you were doing, _kissing_ him?" She demanded in a hushed whisper.

"It doesn't matter. He probably hates me anyway." Zuko said dully as he poured himself a shot and hurriedly downed it.

"What do you mean?" Toph asked in bewilderment.

"Just forget it." Zuko said just as Sokka and Suki reached them.

"Hey, guys." Suki said brightly. "Are you having fun?"

"No." Zuko said bluntly before making a move to walk away. However, Toph's hand shot out and kept him firmly in place.

"What's wrong?" Suki asked.

"And what happened to your hair?" Sokka piped up.

"Look, just..." Zuko said as he ran a hand through his hair and then sighed. "I need to go to the bathroom." He interjected before wrenching his arm from Toph's grip and sidling out of the ballroom. One look around the hallway told him that it was unlikely that a bathroom would be in any such place, so he merely began to walk, nodding absentmindedly at the guards manning the doors.

A few minutes later, he found himself in a hallway lined with ornate mirrors. He came to a halt in front of one and pulled a rubber cord out of his pocket before half-heartedly setting to the task of fixing his hair. He doubted that anyone would be particularly impressed by a kid, who instead of looking like a regal Fire Lord, just looked like a stupid, depressed, druggie. A heavy sigh slipped through his lips and he looked dismally at the result of his struggling.

He rolled his eyes and once again, let his hair down before flinging the rubber cord aside.

"I know you're there." He said dully.

There was a pause and then, Toph sidled out from being a potted plant. "Well, I never claimed to be good at discretion." She said.

"Go away." He said dully.

"No can do." Toph said as she stooped down to pick up the rubber cord that Zuko had thrown aside.

"Please, go away." He repeated monotonously.

"And I'm supposed to listen to that?" Toph wondered as she came to stand behind him.

"Go away." He said irritably.

"That's better." She replied brightly but instead of leaving, Zuko saw her ball her hand into a fist in the mirror. She jerked up her hand and a mound of earth shot out of the floor, elevating her so that she towered several inches above Zuko.

"What are you doing? He demanded as she slapped her hands onto his head and then, began to explore the locks with her fingers.

"Tying up your hair." She said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"You're blind. And you don't even know how to tie up your own hair." Zuko said flatly.

"I do." Toph replied shortly as her fingers continued to rake through Zuko's hair.

"Fine, what are you doing now?" He asked.

"Checking how much hair you have, the length and the volume. So that I won't leave any strands out." She said matter-of-factly.

"Go away." He said half-heartedly.

"I'm not even going to acknowledge that lame attempt." Toph replied as her fingers trailed down to the locks hanging in front of his eyes and she yanked hard.

"OW!" He exclaimed.

"Listen, Sparky. I didn't really tell you when you started this thing with Aang but I'll tell you now. If it turns out you hurt him and it wasn't just him who had it coming, then trust me. I'll beat you up so badly, you'll wish you were having sex with Miyako Suzuri."

There was a pause and Zuko was unsure whether to laugh or not. "Okay." He said uncertainly.

"Good." She said and before Zuko could move a limb, her hands fisted in his hair and she pulled up the locks.

"OW! That HURT!" He yelled.

"I know. It'll hurt more when you find my foot in that wonderful place where the sun never shines. You better set things straight with Aang. And soon." She said flatly before letting her hands fall to her side.

"But he's being unreasonable." He said.

"Maybe. But trust me, if you don't fix this, he'll go running back to Katara." She said quietly.

There was a tense pause and then, Zuko pulled away. "How come I have to be the one who fixes this?" He spat out indignantly as he turned to face Toph. "He's just as much as part of this relationship as I am. He's the one who keeps coming to me, asking me to eat chap-stick off his stupid lips. And he's the one who's so determined for us to have sex. Let him fix this, then." He said venomously.

There was a pause and then, Toph burst out laughing. "That sounds just like Twinkles." She said brightly. "What I don't get is, why aren't you all eager to get in his pants?" She wondered.

"Because he's a child." Zuko replied promptly.

"Wow, have you honestly tricked yourself into believing that shit?" She asked with a laugh. "No, no. I think the real question is, do you think you can trick _me_ into believing that shit?" She added with a grin.

"It's not shit. It's the truth." Zuko said with narrowed eyes.

"Oh, Zuko." Toph said as her grin turned a tiny bit sad. "He won't judge you, you know." She said.

"Aang couldn't judge me even if he wanted to." Zuko spat out.

"I'm not talking about Aang." Toph said quietly.

There was a tense pause and then, Zuko's breath snagged in his throat as he understood the implication of her words. "I..." He began. "I don't care what my father thinks of me." He snapped irritably.

"Jeez, now I'm wondering whether I should hug you or just outright punch you in the face." Toph snapped viciously. "Stop lying to me!" She said angrily.

"I'm not lying."

"Wrong answer." She said. "Do you ever stop?" She exclaimed.

"I'm NOT!" Zuko insisted.

However, Toph merely shook her head and hopped off the mound of earth on which she was standing.

"There's nothing wrong with admitting it, you know. He is your father." She said quietly.

"He would't even know about me and Aang. So, just shut up and leave me alone." Zuko spat out before turning on his heel and stalking off.

"Fine. Say, he wouldn't know and you don't care about what he thinks. What are you going to do now?" She asked as she hurried after him.

"Something. I'm not sure yet." Zuko said.

"Sparky." Toph said patiently. "This ball isn't going to last forever, you know. Miyako is going to tell everyone soon." She said and then gasped in horror.

"What?" Zuko asked worriedly.

"She...that wench!" Toph suddenly exclaimed. "I felt her talking to...oh no!" She screeched and then smacked her forehead with her hand.

"Have you gone insane?" Zuko wondered incredulously.

"No! She's going to out you tonight!" Toph exclaimed in horror.

"What? How do you know?" Zuko asked as his eyes widened.

"You know that woman who gave the announcement in the beginning?"

"Yeah. What about her?"

"Well, I felt Miyako and her talking but I couldn't hear what they were saying. But then, I could tell that Suzuri was pleased for some reason since her heart seemed to be beating faster."

"But she could have just been lying, right?" Zuko asked worriedly.

"It wasn't that kind of heartbeat. Trust me, I know the difference. It's the kind of thing that...Sokka gets with Suki or you get with Aang."

"What? She's in love with the introduction lady?" Zuko echoed with a derisive snort.

"Of course not, you idiot. I meant, that she seemed happy." Toph said and then, tilted her head to the right. "Hey, wait..."

"What?" Zuko asked.

"You said..." Toph said and then grinned.

"What?" Zuko asked suspiciously.

"Are you in love with Aang?" She wondered.

"Huh?" Zuko asked in bewilderment.

"When I gave you and Aang as an example, you assumed that I was talking about love." Toph said.

"I-" Zuko said flatly. "No!"

"Oh jeez, that's so sweet, it's pathetic." Toph said happily.

"Shut up." Zuko said viciously before turning on his heel and stalking off towards the ballroom. "I don't know if I love him or not."

"Don't lie."

"I'm not lying. I really don't know. Besides, it's not like it matters." Zuko said hurriedly.

"Yes it does." Toph snapped.

"No, it doesn't!" Zuko yelled.

"Yes, it does." Toph insisted.

"I'm not going to play this stupid doesn't-does game with you." Zuko said irritably.

"No! You don't get it." Toph said and Zuko faltered at the pleading tone of her voice.

"What don't I get?" He snapped.

"He loves you, he really does." Toph said.

"Don't do this." Zuko said warningly.

"I'm serious!"

"No, _I'm_ serious. You don't get to play with my feelings." Zuko yelled.

"But he loves you!" Toph hollered.

"Stop it." Zuko snapped before making his way towards the hall again. "Just, stop it, okay? It's hard enough to know that I said what I said to him on that balcony. But it is excrutiating to hear you throw around _he loves you, he loves you_ like it means nothing." He yelled. "You don't know if he loves me or not so, you have no right to run around spouting lies and trying to patch things up with us, okay?"

There was a tense pause and then Zuko grabbed Toph's hand and began to drag her into the ballroom. However, he had barely moved the earth bender two feet when she softened the earth beneath them and dug her heels into it, bringing them to a complete halt.

"What?" Zuko snapped.

"If there's one person in the world who knows if Aang loves you or not, that would be me." Toph said calmly. "I'm pretty sure that even he doesn't know he loves you, but I've been listening to people's heartbeats all my life. There comes a time, when you know." She said matter-of-factly.

"Know what?" Zuko asked.

"Just know." She said calmly.

There was a pause and then: "You're insane." He said quietly before turning on his heel and beginning to drag her into the ballroom. However, even as the vibrations from about a hundred other sources interrupted her seismic sense as they entered the room, she did not miss Zuko's reaction to her words.

* * *

_Yay, Aang and Zuko's first fight as a couple...It was long overdue I think xD  
Also, I hope that Zuko's daddy issues were realistic :P I just didn't want them to magically disappear _

_To **Strawberry Syrup**: Lol, yes I do get what you're saying and I'm honored :D You made me scratch my head and squint at my words to see if they really are that good...Thank you so much, I'm flattered ^^  
**Anonymous**: Aw, you shoulda left a name :P Either way, I don't take offense to what you said. But I do feel like the last couple of chapters have been important to the story line..I really don't want the ending to be crappy..Either way, I appreciate the criticism and to be truthful, I did find myself nodding to a few points xP  
**Sasuke Uzamaki9999**: Ehhhh *shifty eyes* You scare me XD But..hm, no..It's not normal as far as I'm concerned :P *is glad there's an ocean and a continent in between us* jk xD  
**FablerPheonix**: Lol, nah.. I appreciate the suggestions..At least they made me laugh :D *has never had people whistle and cat call for her* I'm honored though xP_

_Thank you so much for all the reviews, you guys! ^^_

_So, hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to review! :D_

_-Jade258_


	29. Part XXIX: The Resolution

**Genre:** Humor/Romance**  
Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se**  
Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Chapter XXIX  
The Resolution **

"I want to go home." Zuko groaned as he pulled Toph closer and begrudgingly began to dance.

"No, you don't." She said.

"Yes, I do. Who'd want to stay in this hellhole?" He muttered darkly.

"Well, if you don't apologize to Aang now, 'home' is going to be just as much of a hellhole as this place." Toph reminded.

"Yeah, right." Zuko scoffed.

"You really don't believe me?" Toph challenged.

"No, I don't believe you. Because this place sucks." He said.

"Well, think of it this way. When you go home, Sokka will be back to normal, Katara will probably get Aang back in her clutches, Suki will be back to boring old warrior queen whose only job is to swoon over Sokka. Everything will go back to normal so quick; it'll leave you wondering if your thing with Aang ever happened. So, depressed, you'll run off to the Fire Nation, probably have a one night stand with a bunch of girls and guys both. And when Aang comes along on Avatar business, you two will end up fucking each other on your study table because of a whole load of repressed passion." She said brightly.

There was a pause and then, Zuko stared down at Toph with wide eyes. "Are you serious?" He demanded.

"Sure."

"No! Are you serious about the fucking on the study table because of repressed passion?" He echoed.

"Well, if you prefer your bed, then go right ahead, Sparky." She said teasingly.

However, Zuko's lips did not curve into a smile and instead, his scowl steadily morphed into a genuinely worried expression. "I meant, can stuff like that really happen just because of 'repressed passion'?" He asked worriedly.

"Who knows? But judging by Aang's steadily growing duties as the Avatar, he's bound to get depressed soon and we all know that Fire Lord Zuko doesn't need any prompting. So, yes, you probably will end up having a one-night stand which will eventually ruin your political careers." She said flatly.

There was a tense pause in which a dumbstruck expression dawned on Zuko's face. He would have continued to look dazedly into space if it had not been for Toph's foot connecting solidly with his shin.

"OW!" He exclaimed. "What was that for!" He demanded.

"Don't space out on me." She said primly. "Also, Aang's staring." She said.

"You're blind." Zuko said irritably. "How would you know what he's doing?" He demanded.

"Well, if you don't believe me, look at him. He's over by the drinks table." She said with a shrug.

Zuko bit his lip and then, slowly turned his head, his golden eyes roving over the crowd in search of Aang's blue tattoos. True as Toph had said, the air bender was staring at him but it was not, as Zuko would have liked, some sort of wistful, lovesick look.

It most certainly wasn't that.

Instead, Aang looked so angry that he didn't even bother to conceal the fact that he was outright staring at the fire bender. There was a moment of discomfort as their eyes met and then Zuko hastily looked away.

"Told you." Toph said brightly.

"I...need a drink." Zuko said as his eyes flicked once more towards Aang.

"You sure?" Toph asked as she successfully caught the meaning behind his words.

"It's bad enough now." Zuko said with a bitter smile.

"Well, go for it, Sparky. I'll hold off that bitch." Toph said with a grin. "Bi_tches_, if you count Katara."

There was a pause and then, Zuko felt his lips curve into a smile. "Thanks, Toph." He murmured before ducking his head and pressing his lips to her cheek.

"Woah, Sparky." Toph said as she jumped in surprise.

"What? You know you wanted it." He said with a teasing chuckle. However, it transformed swiftly into a yelp as she kicked him in the shin and then shoved him aside. But even as she turned her back on him, he didn't miss the grin dawning on her face..

With a slight smile, Zuko turned towards the drinks table only to see that Aang had disappeared. A colorful swearword escaped the fire bender's mouth and his jaw tightened with anger as his golden eyes swept through the entire hall.

"Looking for your friend?" A lilting voice said from behind him and Zuko sighed before replying; not even bothering to turn around to face Miyako.

"Leave me alone."

"By the time this night draws to a close, you'll wish you'd taken this opportunity to talk me out of what I'm going to do." Miyako drawled as she stepped up to him. Zuko managed not to shudder in disgust as her fingers lightly trailed a pattern down his forearm but instead, focused on speaking.

"Asking the introduction lady to out us? How _scandalous_, Suzuri. Oh please, _spare us_!" Zuko spat out sarcastically, his lips curving into a smirk as her fingers came to a halt at his elbow.

"Oh, I should have known your short, little friend was a lookout." She said with a small laugh and Zuko scowled as her fingers continued their little dance.

"Anyway, Suzuri. If I'm so gay, then you should know better than to make it seem like you're coming on to me." Zuko said quietly.

There was a pause and then, the fire bender had to suppress a smile as Miyako pulled away completely. "Guess that was one of the others things you 'should have known'." Zuko said with a derisive snort.

"Tch, Zuko. You really should stop with the underestimating." Miyako breathed into his ear. "I'm a lot smarter than you give me credit for and more observant too. Like, I noticed, just now, that your little Avatar seems awfully upset with you." She purred and Zuko had to resist the urge to turn around and do something incredibly violent to her.

"Did you?"

"Yep. Guess you had a little..._lover's quarrel_ on the balcony." She said with a chuckle, her fingers once again finding their way onto his arm.

There was a pause and then, Zuko wrenched his arm free from her grip. Warning bells rang in his head, telling him that he had forgotten to deny Miyako's words. But instead of making amends, he stalked straight towards the drinks table, his hands shaking with rage as he did. The closer he made it to the table, the more stupid his decision to walk away from Miyako seemed and he found himself wishing he had not acted so impulsively.

But then, had he not walked away, he was afraid that he would have revealed something...incriminating in his rage. Either that, or he would have hit her.

Neither seemed like particularly smart decisions so for now, Zuko decided to knock back a few shots.

He just hoped, that by the time Miyako decided to make her move, he wasn't _too_ drunk.

* * *

Aang, meanwhile, was busy trying not to stumble over Katara's feet as his gaze darted from Zuko, who was eagerly - and really rather carelessly - downing the contents of a glass, to Miyako who was watching the fire bender with an amused grin. The former prompted him to bristle angrily while the latter merely served to unnerve him. Whatever made Miyako happy definitely wasn't too good for them.

That is, if a 'them' still existed.

Aang sighed heavily and was immediately pulled out of his reverie by a muttered swear on Katara's breath. "Could you at least, pretend like you're not staring at Zuko like a lovesick puppy and _not_ crush my feet?" She snapped into his ear.

"Whatever." He muttered back, his gray eyes fixating on Zuko as he made care not to step on Katara's feet, just for the sake of a little bit of silence.

However, the impatient reply and the abrupt end to the process of stomping on her feet seemed not to satisfy her and Aang tried not to groan as she spoke. "What's wrong?"

"What's it to you?"

"Well, excuse me for caring. You don't have to be such an ass about it." Katara snapped.

"Caring." Aang said with a derisive snort. "Is that what you've been doing for the past week? _Caring_?" He said, spitting out the word like it was poison on his tongue.

"I've been looking out for you and just so you know, I still don't approve of you and Zuko." Katara said tersely.

"Well, guess what?" Aang said in a show of mock thoughtfulness. "I don't care." He snarled.

There was a pause and then, Katara exhaled sharply. "What's your _problem_?" She demanded in a hushed whisper.

Aang, instead of replying, merely continued to dance, taking the lead as he felt Katara faltering. After several seconds of silence, he heard the water bender sigh.

"Look, Aang. I know that I've been less than...accommodating over the past few days but it's only because I care about you and don't want to see you get hurt."

"Oh please, Katara. The only person that's been hurting me for the last few days is you." Aang spat out angrily.

There was a pause and then, Katara let out a small sigh. "I'm so sorry, Aang. I truly am. But, you have to understand. I trusted Zuko enough to let him into the Gang and he helped me achieve a sense of closure about my mother's death. He also taught you how to fire bend and if it hadn't been for him, then we would surely have lost. I respect him for every single one of those things and despite how torturous it was to let him handle fire around you, I dealt with it, because it was what was required of me, as a friend and as someone who's been affected by this war and wanted to bring it to an end." She whispered and Aang felt his expression soften at the sincerity of her voice.

"Then, what's the problem?" He asked gently.

"Just let me say this..." Katara said and Aang nodded hesitantly as she continued. "He did so much for us and I understand that you two have grown so close. But..."

"But what?" Aang insisted.

"He was the enemy and I can't trust him, Aang. There will always be a part of my mind that will never trust him, no matter what he does. It's just human nature, Aang." She said and Aang frowned as her voice broke. "I'm so sorry. I've tried so hard to do everything. I've tried to talk myself into trusting him, tried to convince myself that he won't hurt you but it's...impossible, because this is _Zuko_!" She whispered in a voice that sounded oddly terrified and apologetic.

"You could do it for me." Aang replied as his fingers tightened around her waist.

"I can't, Aang. I can't trust him and I can't accept the idea of you and him, in a relationship!" She protested quietly. "You're so different a-and fragile and he can't take care of you. He's been with us for so long and he always says something impulsive, something stupid. He's so harsh and straightforward and...and..."

"He's been through so much!" Aang said harshly. "That's just who he is."

"He can't take care of you, Aang. And even if he could, how could you _ever_ manage to make this work?" She demanded in a hushed whisper. "He rules a country where your kind is killed for being who you are." She hissed angrily.

There was a tense pause and Aang's voice was disbelieving and strained when he spoke. "My kind?"

Katara did not respond.

"My kind?" He repeated in a choked voice. "How can you even say such a thing?" He whispered.

"Because it's the truth." Katara said, her gaze dropping to the floor as Aang pulled away to stare at her.

"The truth?" He echoed disbelievingly. "I thought that at least, you would accept me, Katara. Why would you even care about such trivial things?" He asked, his voice wavering as he stared at the water bender.

There was a tense pause and then, Katara slowly looked up at him. "He's the enemy."

"NO! He WAS the enemy!" Aang said, his voice coming out a lot louder than he had intended. The people around them faltered and a hushed silence fell in the small circle of dancers that had been twirling around them. "Why do you insist on being so narrow-minded, Katara?" He demanded as he wrenched his hand away from hers and took a few steps away from her. "I thought we were friends." He said, a pained expression crossing his face as Katara once again snatched his hand and began to drag him off the dance floor.

Once they had made their way to one of the large doors leading out of the hall and Katara had roughly pushed him out onto the balcony, she stalked out herself and then slammed the door shut behind her. She opened her mouth to speak but before she could, Aang stepped forward; his expression contorted with anger.

"I honestly thought that you were just jealous, Katara! But _enemy_? _My kind_? That is so...narrow-minded and sick and disgusting and STUPID!" Aang hollered as his face flushed red with anger.

"STUPID?" Katara shrieked. "Is that honestly what you think?"

"Yes, that's what I think. Of your mentality and of _you_!" Aang said. "You're ridiculous and so unreasonable!" He said loudly.

"I'm ridiculous, am I?" Katara echoed with a shout of derisive laughter. "Well, you go and try to make it work with Zuko and _then_ we'll see who's ridiculous." She snapped.

Her words were met with a long silence and the two of them stared at each other, chests rising and heaving with indignation. At last, Aang's shoulders slumped with defeat and he turned away from Katara. "I thought we were friends, Katara and...we went through so much together!" He said desperately. "Why can't you just accept this? I'm begging you." Aang said as he turned back to her.

"I can't, Aang. I can't stand here and lie to your face." She said quietly.

"If you can't even be bothered to accept me, then you shouldn't care enough to be honest with me." Aang said sadly. "You just keep contradicting yourself." He muttered.

Katara did not reply and after several minutes of silence, Aang looked up again. "What would you do if I told you that Zuko and I...weren't anything but friends?" He asked hesitantly.

"What?" Katara said, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise as she looked at Aang. "But he...are you serious?" She said and the air bender felt a sharp pain shoot up his chest at the happiness lacing her voice.

A pained expression flashed across his face and he had to fight to hold back the tears. "Yeah, I am." He said, his voice nothing more than a whisper.

"That's..." Katara said and Aang at once, tuned out her words, afraid that if he heard anything more, he would surely break down. His mind desperately tried to recall all that Zuko had said to him earlier on the balcony; anything to convince him that this was the right decision. Instead, he found himself unable to remember the words and all that jumped to his mind was all the humorous and seductive murmurs that Zuko had voiced into his ear, against his lips and the skin of his neck.

His hands trembled violently and in one last attempt to banish the memories, he looked up to stare at Katara; hoping against hope that the sight of her face would distract him. However, it seemed not to work and the next thing he knew, a sharp lump had formed in his throat and his eyes were welling up with tears.

Katara, whose lips had been rapidly moving as she spoke, formed a small 'O' as she stared in surprise at Aang. "Are you..."

"I'm sorry, Katara." He said, his voice coming out thick. "But how can I trust that you're my friend when you're making me choose between you two? I love you. I really do, but not as anything more than a friend." He choked out and as her expression hardened, he stepped forward.

"You're the best friend that I've ever had and you're like a sister to me. I'm sorry for hurting you." He said and before she could protest, he had pulled her into a hug. "But I'm not sorry for doing what I have to. Zuko means too much to me." He murmured against her skin.

Aang momentarily pulled back and pressed his lips against the corner of her mouth before pulling away and swiftly making his way into the ballroom.

* * *

_Well, hurray! I'm back...Sorry, I had to take a break because_

_a) my parents were being uncharacteristically strict  
b) the muse ran away  
c) I was told that someone from my family is getting married..which is completely unfair since I think there should at least be a warning before you drop that kinda bomb on someone. I just don't get why parents and elder siblings have to be so $*Y(%(&^* when it comes to confiding in younger family members that certain PEOPLE are already engaged! D:  
c) i was humoring myself by working on an original idea I came up with xD_

_Either way, 300 reviews! Hurray! ^^_

_To** Sasuke Uzamaki9999:** Lmao, that _is_ creepy xD _

_Thank you so much for all the spectacular reviews, you guys! ^^ I really appreciate them :D  
Just thought I'd tell you all, that while, yes, I have updated today, it was only because I was lounging on my couch thinking about why Katara's such a bitch, so updates may or may not be scarce. School starts next week, muse might not strike, I may not want to write, I may not be able to write but I thought that I'd just take off the Hiatus caption since it's kinda pointless :P bcoz stories mostly stay on hiatus for a lot longer than just a fortnight xD_

_Seriously, be prepared to wait anywhere from a day to a month for updates..Just thought I'd warn you :]_

_On a lighter note, Katara's off their backs :D Let's hope that Aang manages to do something positive with that random spurt of courage and wisdom :P_

_And don't forget to leave a review! They aid me in ignoring my summer holiday homework and continuing with this x]_

_-Jade258_


	30. Part XXX: Slight Discomforts

**Genre:** Humor/Romance  
**Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se  
**Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXX  
****Slight Discomforts**

"Sparky, what the hell are you doing?" Toph said as she came to a halt beside Zuko, her face contorted with irritation.

"Can we go home?" He muttered, one hand continuously pinching the bridge of his nose in his frustration.

"Uh, no! Stand up straight. No, no, _don't slump_!" Toph hissed as she shifted the earthen wall against which Zuko was leaning and immediately straightened the fire bender who was swaying like his knees were about to buckle underneath him. "I thought you went to talk to Aang." She accused irritably.

"He wasn't here. But he was running around here somewhere just now. He seemed like he was upset." Zuko mumbled.

"Then what the hell are you doing standing here like a stupid drunkard? Go console him!" Toph almost yelled.

"Don't want to. I think I'm a little drunk."

"Zuko, if you don't go to Aang right this instant, I will kick you so hard where the sun never shines, you'll wish you were a girl. Now shut the hell up and go TALK to him!" Toph forcefully whispered. "And give that here!" She snapped, one hand shooting out and snatching the glass of sake from Zuko's hand.

"Look, Toph. I say enough stupid things when I'm sober. I shouldn't talk to him when I'm drunk."

"Sparky, you'll be fine. Besides, how many drinks did you have?" Toph said but pressed on as Zuko opened his mouth. "If you still remember how many, then you're not drunk enough. Now go!"

Before Zuko could protest and voice the fact that he, indeed, couldn't remember how many drinks he'd had - mostly because he had been busy thinking of ways to convince Toph to make a chandelier drop onto Suzuri - the earthen wall behind him lurched and he nearly prevented himself from falling flat on his face.

With a scowl, he turned to Toph to tell her off, but found that the crowd had rapidly swallowed her up. A muttered swearword escaped his lips and with a frown, he turned to look for Aang. He ran a hand through his hair and with a sigh, moved a few steps forward to side-step a crowd. He resisted the urge to saunter over to the drinks table again and half-heartedly let his gaze travel through the Hall.

"Zuko!" A voice said from behind him.

The fire bender barely had time to turn around when...

_Smack!_

"What the..." Zuko slurred as his hand shot up to nurse his cheek and he blearily looked at Katara. "Finally gone insane, have you?" Zuko spat out angrily as he rubbed his cheek.

"Yes, I have. And trust me, you asshole, you're going to pay for what you did!" She screeched.

Zuko snorted derisively and was just about to turn say something when he realized that a deathly silence had fallen over the hall. A few heartbeats later, he was furiously contemplating whether to reply or not, in his drunken state. However, Katara did not give him much choice because the next thing he knew, she was literally standing barely two inches from him.

"Oh and what have I done?" Zuko asked as he grew uncomfortably aware of the staring crowd. He could steadily feel all his common sense slipping away and did not even bother to try and lead Katara out of the Hall.

"You...you..." She spluttered angrily and Zuko paled as he realized what she was about to say. "You stole Aang from me!" She shrieked.

Her voice echoed in the whole Hall and Zuko flinched as if she had physically assaulted him. However, all hopes that he had just a second ago placed in the possibility that she would not continue, shattered as she pressed on.

"You bastard!" Katara said, her eyes widening as if she was only just realizing it. "You sick pedophile!" She shrieked and Zuko's lips parted as he stared at her in astonishment. "You think you can just lay your hands on Aang after all that you did to him barely a year ago! DO YOU?" She said, the words ripping free of her throat so forcefully that her voice broke.

There was a tense pause and then Zuko spoke, his voice wavering as warning bells rang in his head. "I don't think I was the one getting all bitchy because I was jealous of him hanging around his teacher!" He retorted. "You brought this on yourself." He said coldly.

Katara's eyes widened and Zuko's heart beat a tattoo against his chest as they filled with tears. "I brought it on myself, did I?" Katara said bitterly, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Well, think of it this way, Zuko. You brought this on yourself." She said with a calmness that scared the fire bender.

Before he could protest, however, she had taken a step backward and turned to the Hall. "Yep, that's right. The Avatar and the Fire Lord are gay." She said and Zuko's eyes narrowed as he saw her stumble slightly, her chest heaving erratically. "And I can prove it too." She said as her voice wavered weakly.

Zuko ignored the whispers running through the hall and instead, stared at Katara as she suddenly took a step forward and slapping her hand onto his head, yanked it to one side to reveal his neck. "See these?" She yelled as she pointed to the love bites on his neck. "Aang, gave him these. Yeah, they were making out on the bed just this morning."

Her words were met with a deathly silence and Zuko could tell that something was wrong by the way that Katara was leaning heavily against him. He ignored his burning cheeks, and Miyako Suzuri's indescribable expression and tentatively put his hand on Katara's shoulder.

After that, things happened so fast that Zuko could have sworn he missed half of it. All he knew was that the next second, all the oxygen seemed to have been sucked out of the air.

Him and Katara was unconscious before they even hit the ground.

* * *

Zuko woke to the sound of silence. It seemed to press on him from all directions and as he unsteadily sat up, he realized that he was on the floor of one of the balconies. Beside him lay Katara.

And over them, stood three people.

"We're dead." Aang said flatly from where he was sulkily leaning against the railing of the balcony.

"No, she dies first." Toph spat out as she pointed at Katara.

"I agree. That bitch stole my thunder." Miyako hissed angrily.

Despite the fact that the three people above him seemed to be bad-mouthing Katara quite viciously and frankly, it was one of the most interesting conversations he'd come upon in ages, Zuko found himself unable to move. The magnitude of the situation slowly sank in and a sharp exhale escaped his lips as he slumped back onto the floor and stared unseeingly at the night-sky.

Although Aang, Miyako and Toph all knew that he was awake, none of them made any move to speak to him and Zuko squeezed his eyes shut, as if trying to ignore the fact that he was virtually ruined.

"Let's go home." Zuko croaked as he sat up again.

"You can't. The stupid reporters hanging around the entrance are all swarming the Hall." Miyako said angrily.

"Why are you in here anyway?" Zuko asked as he glared up at Miyako. "You got your wish, didn't you?"

"On the contrary, you imbecile, my wish was to out you myself. Not to have some PMSing water bitch do it for me." Miyako hissed angrily.

"Don't call her that." Aang said irritably. "Besides, it's my fault that she even got so angry." he said gloomily.

"Oh great, what did you say, Twinkles?" Toph groaned.

Aang faltered and even in the darkness of the balcony, no one missed the rosy blush dusting his cheeks. 'What?' he cried defensively as everyone stared at him. 'What I said to her is my business.'

'You actually stood up to her for once, didn't you?' Toph asked wryly. 'I bet you even said to her face that you picked Zuko and not her. Right?' She asked dully.

Her words were met with an awkward silence and Aang shot Zuko an uneasy glance. "Uh, sort of?"

This caused Zuko's eyebrows to completely disappear behind the black locks hanging into his face and despite the bleakness of the situation, he felt a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Ew." Miyako muttered as she looked between Zuko and Aang.

"Jeez, look at her, Twinkles! She's speaking like she's actually our friend. Well, just because all of us got screwed over, it doesn't mean that we're on the same side, Suzuri. You're still a conniving wench." Toph spat out angrily.

"Whatever." Miyako muttered sourly.

Her words were met with a long silence and after several minutes, Zuko heaved himself to his feet and trudged over to the railing. Aang shot Zuko a gloomy look as the fire bender leaned against the railing beside him. "Did I pass out?" Zuko wondered quietly.

"No."

"Then?"

"I knocked you and Katara out." Aang muttered.

"I thought she was drunk."

"She might have been but so were you. I don't know. I just sucked the oxygen out of the air and both of you passed out. At first, I was trying to take it slowly and I was almost done with Katara but then she moved closer so I took you both." Aang explained.

"Which was good, actually. We wouldn't want Sparky hitting Sugar Queen, now would we?" Toph said, even though she sounded like she would, indeed, want exactly that.

There was another pause and then, Zuko sighed. "Well, I guess you got what you wanted." He said to Aang.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The air bender demanded with a scowl.

"You said you wanted to out us. Unless you're willing to tell everyone that Katara is mentally unbalanced, I think you pretty much got what you wanted." Zuko muttered.

"So what, this is my fault now?" Aang demanded angrily.

"I never said that!" Zuko burst out defensively. "I'm just saying that you got what yo-"

"Yeah, Zuko. You've already said that about three times. I still think you're blaming me." Aang said irritably.

"I'm not! I'm congratulating you?" Zuko attempted.

"I told you not to drink so much, Zuko." Toph said quietly. "You've officially gone insane."

"Shut up, Toph." Zuko and Aang simultaneously snapped.

"Wow, you kids are insane." Miyako muttered.

"Not as insane as you." Zuko said childishly.

The fire bender had just taken a step forward when suddenly, an earthen wall shot out of the ground to stand between him and Miyako. He heard another rumble and then, everybody was still. "There! You and Aang have your own little partition where you can make up. Miyako has hers. And Katara's with me so that when she wakes up, I can kill her." Toph's voice said from behind the walls.

Three more walls erupted from the ground, successfully pushing Zuko back against Aang and trapping the two in a semi-circle of rock.

"And there you go. In case you two make up, decide life's too short and have sex here." Toph said as a ceiling shot out from one of the walls and blocked out the night sky, plunging them into darkness.

There was a sigh from Aang and then, Zuko jerked his wrist forward, causing a flame to spring to life in his palm. "I'm so sick of this." The fire bender muttered as he plopped down onto the floor and leaned his back against the railing.

"Put out the fire. It'll take all of our oxygen." Aang said as he joined Zuko on the floor.

The fire bender shot him a puzzled look and deciding not to mention that Aang was an earth bender and could easily blow apart the walls to provide them with fresh air, balled his hand into a fist and let the fire die.

"How long are we going to sit out here?" Zuko asked.

"Until the hall clears out and we can go home." Aang replied quietly.

"Where are Suki and Sokka?"

"I don't know. They weren't in the hall when Katara started shouting. They're probably in there right now."

"Won't the reporters start badgering them?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Aang said finalizingly.

There was a tense pause and then, Zuko shuffled closer to the air bender until his side was brushing against Aang's. "Wow, you really did take Toph's word to heart, didn't you?" Aang said wryly.

"Last time I checked you were the one all eager to have sex." Zuko retorted. His words were met with silence and despite the darkness, the fire bender squeezed his eyes shut again. "Sorry. I just..."

Zuko trailed off and for several minutes more, neither spoke. It was only once a loud shout of laughter drifted out from the Hall that the fire bender bristled and ran a hand through his hair.

"Did you really tell Katara that you chose me?" Zuko marveled.

Beside him, Aang shifted but before the air bender could pull away, Zuko's arm snaked around his waist and held him in place. "Did you?" He repeated.

"Yes." Aang said gloomily as he stilled and then, slumped against the fire bender as if in defeat.

"What did she say?"

"Nothing. I didn't wait to hear it. I just went to find you." Aang said hesitantly.

There was a pause and then, Zuko froze as the air bender suddenly shifted closer and buried his face into the crook of Zuko's neck. "I'm tired." Aang murmured against the fire bender's skin.

"I know." Zuko said, his voice wavering as Aang's breath ghosted on his neck. Despite the fact that his body had suddenly grown oddly sensitive to the air bender's touch, Zuko's fingers thoughtfully dragged against Aang's side. He felt the muscles twitch beneath his fingertips and then, a small giggle escaped Aang's lips causing Zuko's lips to curve into a smile.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier." The fire bender said as he felt Aang's laughter subside. "On the balcony..." he added.

"Yeah, it's fine, I suppose." Aang said, his voice coming out muffled against Zuko's skin.

"No, I'm serious. I really am sorry. For underestimating you and reproaching you for wanting to prove yourself. I'm so sorry. I had no right to say that." Zuko said, the words tumbling out of his mouth in his hurry. "Especially after I ran around trying to do the same thing for three years and my methods weren't even that honorable." He said hastily.

"Zuko, calm down." Aang said as he pulled his head away from the fire bender's neck and looked in his general direction in the darkness. "It's okay." He said. "I'm smiling!" Aang as his hand found Zuko's and he lightly pressed the fire bender's calloused fingertips to his lips. "See?" He said brightly.

"Yeah, I do." Zuko said, his voice coming out oddly choked. Aang's brow furrowed in puzzlement and the air bender was just about to speak when, Zuko's fingers lightly began to trace his lips.

The air bender raised his hand to create a fire but Zuko's hand closed around his and he pushed it down again. Aang's eyes merely stared unseeingly into the darkness as Zuko's hand found its way to the back of his neck and the fingers lightly traced the skin there.

Aang once again tried to speak but before he could, Zuko ducked his head and his lips sloppily pressed against the air bender's cheek. "What-"

Zuko silenced him with a _shh_ and tried again. This time his lips landed on the corner of Aang's mouth and the air bender tried not to giggle as Zuko groaned lightly. There was another pause and then, the fire bender pulled away slightly before his lips finally found Aang's in the darkness.

For several long moments, they were still, their lips not moving against the other's. The kiss was simple and tight-lipped but for some reason, it made Aang feel oddly light-headed. It didn't matter that his nose lightly bumped against the fire bender's as he shifted, it didn't matter that his neck was in a very awkward position and that the muscles were rapidly straining and it didn't matter that Zuko's hand was jabbing awkwardly into his waist because, Aang decided...

those slight discomforts only added to the kiss.

* * *

_Okay, I swear, I am not consciously trying to stretch this fic out but it absolutely refuses to end O.o  
I wanted this chapter to be the last but when I started writing, it just ended up fluffy and sweet and psychotic._

_Either way, I swear that fic will not be more than 33 chapters since I absolutely despise having to make you guys wait more than a fortnight for a chapter since my brain keeps nagging me to update, update, update..And also, because after 30 chapters with only three or two left, I've finally decided where this is going xD_

_Anyway, enough rambling :P_

_To** Kimsara**: Lol, I understand your sentiment and you're probably right :P But no Zukaang fic is complete without some Katara bashing :P And also because the bashing adds to the humor :P Either way, thanks! :D  
**Ganon XD**: Lol, If I had any money, I'd send it to you for saying that xD Thank you, I'm flattered ^^_

_Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews, you guys! ^^ So, don't forget to leave some more bcoz __they help me think of more reasons to skip school and stay at home to write this xP_

___Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and sorry for the delay! :D_

___-Jade258_


	31. Part XXXI: A Cessation Of Inconveniences

**Genre:** Humor/Romance  
**Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se  
**Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXXI  
A Cessation Of Inconveniences **

"And that's how it's done, Suzuri." Toph's smug voice said as the walls surrounding Zuko and Aang suddenly lowered into the ground.

Scowling, Zuko pulled away from Aang and was just about to stand up when a loud gasp echoed throughout the balcony. It took the fire bender a few minutes to realize and even then, he wasn't particularly sure why and who it had come from. He had suspected that Katara had woken up but when he saw Miyako's wide eyes, glued to the tiny space in between his and Aang's lips, he snorted in amusement.

'What? You're running around trying to out us and the whole time, you're a homophobe?' Zuko muttered scathingly.

'I am no such th-'

'That's what you say. Zuko and I know you're in love with the announcer lady,' Toph said, prompting Aang and Miyako to shoot her an appalled look. Her serious face lasted for a total of three seconds before she cackled.

'Shut up, Toph.' Zuko muttered as Miyako shot them a glare.

'Misfits.' Miyako muttered darkly.

'She's the biggest one.' Toph piped up as she pointed in Katara's general direction.

'I swear, once she wakes up, I am going to find as many ways as I can to physically and financially bitch-slap her.' Miyako hissed angrily.

'Scary.' Toph muttered dryly.

'Toph, is there any way to get off this stupid balcony?' Zuko asked.

'Well, I could earth bend you all into the air but that might just end up with you splattered all over a street in the Lower Ring. Or, Aang could bend you all into the air which would probably show the same results. Either way, you'll get blown into oblivion.' Toph said dryly.

'Nice.' Aang said.

'Let's try it.' Zuko said with a shrug.

'I'm sorry, Sparky? You _want_ to be splattered onto a sidewalk? You shoulda told me before!' Toph said sarcastically. 'I'm doing no such thing.' she said flatly.

'Why not?'

'Because I don't want to be held responsible for the Fire Lord's death and go to prison with this loser.' She said as she jerked her head at Miyako.

'You're not going to pri- Aang, what the hell are you doing?' Zuko asked irritably as the air bender undid the sash on his robes and pulled the tunic up to his stomach.

'Calling the big white thing that we _usually_ fly around on.' Aang said as he fished around in the pockets of his trousers and pulled out Appa's whistle with a triumphant grin.

'Wow, Twinkles. And here I thought that when you kissed each other, your brains liquefied and flowed out of your ears. Ah, such is the power of love.'

'That's disgusting, Toph.' Aang said.

'Seconded.' Zuko muttered as Aang sucked in a great breath and brought the whistle to his lips.

There was a pause and then, he blew hard. 'Wow...' Miyako said.

'Shut up, Suzuri. It's a whistle that only _intelligent_ creatures can hear.' Toph retorted.

'Look who's talking.' she replied with a derisive snort.

'What about Suki and Sokka?' Aang asked as he stowed the whistle into his pocket before retying the sash.

'They can get out on their own.' Zuko said flatly.

'Yeah, Snoozles is the idea guy, isn't he? Besides, I'm sure they can find a bed around here and entertain themselves for the night.'' Toph said as she turned her unseeing eyes up to the sky and fell silent, as if hearing something the others couldn't.

'Or they could just sleep.' Aang pointed out.

'Whatever you say, Twinkles.' Toph said with a snicker.

Aang and Zuko exchanged a glance but before either could exchange any words, a resounding roar rang out from the skies. 'Appa!' the air bender said, sounding happily relieved.

'Finally...' Miyako muttered.

'Woah, woah. Hold on a second here. We're not giving you a lift, Suzuri.' Toph said with amusement.

'But how on earth-'

'You can go out the front door and drag Katara along with you, m'kay?'

'Come on, Toph. We should at least take Katara with us.' Aang said quietly.

'Are you kidding me? She just outed you in front of hundreds of people. How can you even consider forgiving her?' Toph exclaimed.

'Toph, please. It's not something I can explain. I... this is just a minor setback. Katara was angry and hurt and it was an impulsive mistake. We'll talk things over with her later, okay?' Aang said as he made a move to step towards the water bender.

'Are you insane?' Toph asked, aghast.

'Toph.' Zuko said as he firmly placed his hand on her shoulder and despite his fear that she might just turn around and possibly incapacitate (and castrate) him, he steered her over to the railing just as Appa swooped down to hover in front of it. The earth bender's shoulders were tense beneath Zuko's fingers and he tentatively squeezed before hurriedly snatching his hands away.

'Six feet away, in that direction.' Zuko said as he adjusted her position one last time before taking a step back. He watched in silence as she slammed her foot on the ground and launched herself onto the bison's saddle and then, turned to watch Aang try and heave Katara up with his air bending. The air bender grunted as he bent current after current beneath Katara's back but other than causing her to float a few feet above the ground and then slam back hard, he achieved nothing.

'Leave it, Aang.' Zuko said as he brushed the air bender aside and scowling, scooped Katara into his arms.

'You don't have t-' Aang began but fell silent upon seeing Zuko's expression. 'Okay, then.' he muttered sheepishly.

Aang's tattooed hand reached up to rub the back of his neck and his expression was troubled as he watched Zuko climb up onto the railing. The fire bender balanced himself on it and the scene might even have been romantic had he not taken that exact moment to fling Katara unceremoniously onto the saddle. There was a pause and then, he heard Toph's cackles echoing through the night air.

That, paired with the sly smile tugging on the corner of Zuko's mouth, made Aang's lips curve into a grin. The serenity of the moment, however, was short lived as Miyako suddenly sidled forward to press her chest flat against Aang's back. 'Come on, take me with you! You're the Avatar, aren't you supposed to help people?' She said into his ear in what he concluded was supposed to be a seductive voice.

'Well, I am the Avatar.' Aang said and he tried not to smile as he sensed Miyako's pleasure. 'But I'm also supposed to be gay, so I don't find what you're doing particularly enticing.' he said before taking a step forward and turning to face her. 'I can't say that it was nice to meet you but if it hadn't been for you, my vacation would have been very boring. I'll see you around.' Aang said, keeping his face as stoic as possible as he forced himself to look into Miyako's bewildered face.

'Yeah, see you around, bitch!' Toph yelled from the saddle as Aang gave a small wave before air bending himself onto the saddle.

'Bye!' Zuko yelled as Appa flapped his tail and launched them into the night.

* * *

_Bahaha, that's what you get for being a bitch, Suzuri! ;]_

_But wow, it's been a long time since the last update O.o I'm sorry, I really am. but school is sooo...bleh  
And weddings and jewelery and workshops and wtf is wrong with my family? xD_

_Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and don't forget to leave a review because if you do, I'll try my bestest to post the epilogue by Friday x] If not the epilogue, then the next chapter of On the Sands of Time :P  
And just for anyone who might have skipped over my ramblings... _**THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER!**

_Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews, you guys ^^ They made me cackle and smile and look at the screen in confusion and prompted other such reactions out of me. To **anonymous**: wow, you have no idea how much that means to an amateur scribbler like me. Thank you so much, you can't imagine how flattered I am..  
**:] x 1 **_**_gazillion_**

_Anyway, to sum it all up: in your face, miyako; hope you enjoyed; this is not the last chapter; REVIEW! :D_

_-Jade258_


	32. Part XXXII: Drunken Professions

**Genre:** Humor/Romance  
**Pairings:** ZukoxAang  
**Warnings:** Yaoi. Don't like? Don't read.  
**Time:** 100 ASC - Post War  
**Setting:** Upper Ring - Ba Sing Se  
**Summary:** After the war, the Gang stays in Ba Sing Se for a much needed vacation. But what happens when Toph decides that everything is getting much too monotonous and brews up trouble, taking them to a play that portrays Aang and Zuko as a gay couple? And what happens when, during convincing the whole of Ba Sing Se that they aren't gay, Aang and Zuko find that they are convincing themselves as well?

* * *

**Part XXXII  
Drunken Professions**

'YOU LEFT US!'

The yell echoed loudly throughout the small living room of Iroh's apartment but Zuko, Aang and Toph did not flinch under the wrath of Sokka's temper tantrum. 'Had to be done.' Toph said as she leaned back against the couch and propped her feet onto the table.

'What? How? WHY?' Sokka yelled, looking very much like he was on the verge of pulling his hair out.

'We're sorry, Sokka. But we had Miyako to deal with. And besides, Katara had just...you know. So we couldn't search for you and all.' Aang said with a tentative smile.

'Do you even know what me and Suki went through out there? There were so many PEOPLE! I could very easily have let something slip but _no_, I had to go on like a stuttering idiot in front of them, picking through my words so that I could defend you two idiots!' Sokka burst out as he angrily pointed at Aang and Zuko.

'Really?' Aang said in a small voice.

'And _what_ did you do to Katara? Did you drug her?' he demanded.

'And...stop.' Toph said suddenly. 'Look, Snoozles, you're bordering on the edge of becoming entirely incoherent. We did what we had to do. Katara had just outed these two geniuses, who by the way, ignored half of what I told them. You weren't where you were supposed to be and neither was Suki. I went easy on these two yesterday but now, I'm holding everyone of us accountable for Zuko and Aang kissing on the balcony where any idiot could have seen them.' Toph said sharply.

'Kissing?' Sokka said, as he paled. 'What were you THINKING?'

'_You_ don't get to reproach me. Your sister was the one who decided that she wanted to have one of her crazy fits in front of a whole room of people.' Zuko said angrily.

'Don't bring Katara into this.'

'_Bring_ her? She insisted on being dragged into this situation. In fact, she threw herself headfirst into this situation.' Zuko yelled.

'How the hell is that even remotely MY fault? From all I've gathered, it's your fault that she even became like this in the first place. You and him.' Sokka said as he stared pointedly at Aang.

'Shut up, Sokka.' Zuko said coldly.

'Zuko, sit down.' Aang said suddenly. 'Yes, Sokka. It was partly my fault that I said what I did at the party. I shouldn't have done that.' Aang said as he tugged hard at Zuko's hand to make him sit down. 'I'm sorry.'

'Why are you apolo-' Zuko began but fell silent as Aang glared at him.

Sokka, whose face had been previously flushed red with anger, reddened even further with embarrassment as he averted his gaze from Aang's. The tribesman seemed to deflate and then plopped heavily onto a chair across from them. 'It's okay.' He mumbled as he ran his hand through his hair and heaved a sigh.

Silence reigned over the four of them for several seconds before the door to one of the rooms slid open and Suki sidled out. 'How is she?' Aang asked.

'She just has a few bruises on her back.' Suki said as she plopped down onto the couch. 'I can't figure her out. One second she looks like she's going to cry, telling me how sorry she is for ruining your life.'

'Oh,' Aang said.

'And then, she starts on how much she distrusts Zuko and thinks he's going to rape you.' Suki said with a shake of her head.

'Right.' Zuko said with raised eyebrows. 'I can see she'll be alright.' he muttered but no one replied.

* * *

Zuko rubbed a hand over his face, a look towards the window telling him that it was time to go. Right on time, a resounding roar tore through the air and the fire bender stood up. He neatly circled the low table and slid the door open.

Morning sunshine flooded into his and Aang's temporary apartment and he descended from the front steps just as Appa landed with a loud thud. 'Well...' he said as Aang landed lightly onto the ground.

'Well...' the air bender countered with a playful smile.

Zuko opened his mouth; however, once he realized that the only intelligent thing he could think to say was 'well' he clamped it shut again. He watched in silence as Aang's smile wavered at the edges and then disappeared completely.

'How's Katara?' Zuko asked.

'She's good.' Aang muttered as he scuffed his shoe against the ground.

'Has she forgiven me yet?' Zuko asked skeptically.

'It's only been a month, Zuko. She'll take her time.' Aang reminded.

'Right,' Silence fell between them once again and Zuko was just racking through his mind to find something appropriate to say when Aang brushed past him into the house. The fire bender felt a shudder run down his spine as Aang's hand brushed against his wrist and the air bender smiled up at him.

Abstinence, stress and hormones did not work well together.

Zuko had been reciting the thought over and over in his mind for several weeks now but at that particular moment, he was tempted to shake Aang hard and say it aloud. But that would be unfair to the air bender since he himself was the one who'd been abstaining all along.

The fire bender watched in silence as Aang air bended his single bag out from the apartment and onto Appa's saddle. Zuko stared at the bag before turning to Aang. The word had slipped from his mouth before he could even stop himself. 'Well...'

'Yeah,' Aang said, a smile tugging at his lips.

Zuko flushed and exhaled sharply in an attempt to regain a modicum of his composure. 'Sorry.'

'We'll be fine, Zuko.' Aang said.

'Yeah... I suppose.' Zuko said with a shrug.

'I'll visit you.' Aang said.

'If they'll let you, that is.' Zuko reminded.

'I have Appa, don't I?'

'Yeah, I suppose.'

'What time is the meeting?'

Zuko shuffled uncomfortably. 'Tomorrow morning at eleven. The whole world'll know then.'

'The whole world already knows,' Aang said with a grin.

'Is that supposed to make me feel better?' Zuko asked skeptically.

Aang rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly before smiling. 'Well, is it working?'

'Not exactly.' Zuko said heavily.

'Are you nervous?'

'Aang, please stop with the questions, already.' Zuko said tiredly.

'Sorry.' Aang said with a grin.

They were silent for several minutes and Aang was just sliding the door to the apartment shut and locking it when Zuko spoke. 'I am...kind of nervous.'

'Don't worry.'

'Actually, its the kind of nervousness you get where you feel like you're going to throw up.' Zuko said breathlessly.

Aang looked at Zuko with a small smile. 'Really?'

'Yeah.' Zuko said, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment and his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed nervously.

Aang lightly took Zuko's hand in his own and pulled the fire bender towards him. The air bender leaned up but his lips had barely grazed Zuko's when the fire bender jerked away. 'I don't want to throw up in your mouth.' he said hurriedly.

The ridiculousness of the statement startled a laugh out of the air bender. 'You're silly when you're nervous.' Aang remarked before firmly placing his hand on the back of Zuko's neck and pulling him forward into a kiss.

Zuko shakily exhaled into the air bender's face once he'd pulled away, earning himself a childish laugh.

'I need...' Zuko began but immediately fell silent as Aang looked up at him through his eyelashes.

'Yes, Zuko?' Aang said sweetly.

Zuko felt his cheeks heat up and hastily looked away just as Aang dragged his tongue across his own lips. 'I need... a drink. Yes, that's what I need!' the fire bender said, his voice faint as Aang's knee found its way between his legs.

'Sure?' Aang asked.

Zuko swallowed before nodding, not trusting his voice to remain steady if he spoke. A small smile flitted across Aang's lips as he moved away and Zuko wasn't sure if he was glad that the air bender had moved away before he'd gotten an erection or not.

'Come on, then.' Aang said and before Zuko could protest, he slipped the key to the house into his pocket and began to drag him down the street.

* * *

Two hours later, Zuko wasn't sure why he'd agreed to a few hours with the Gang when, had he not decided to 'need a drink', he could have been having outrageous, amazing, mind-blowing sex with Aang in an empty house to which they had the key. Why? Why!

Zuko rubbed a hand over his face and looked down at his glass, slightly stumped to see that it was empty. He tried to move forward but slumped back again as Iroh's apartment swayed. He tried to shove a drunk and half-asleep Toph off his arm but her grip around him was vice-like.

Again, why?

Zuko growled before ignoring the pain in his butt long enough to improve his posture and shove Toph and Sokka clean off his arms. He heaved himself up and stumbled into the kitchen where Iroh and Aang were sipping some tea.

'I hate you.' the fire bender declared as he pulled out a chair next to Aang and slumped into it.

'I never told you to drink so much.' Aang said softly.

'Not you. I don't hate you, Aang.' Zuko murmured, a very odd giggle spluttering from his mouth as he put his head onto Aang's shoulder.

'That's nice, Zuko.' Aang said as he took a sip of his tea.

'You're nice!' Zuko slurred loudly.

'Thanks.'

'You're _so_ nice, Aang.' Zuko said headily.

'Thank you, Zuko.' Aang said as he shot the the fire bender a sideways glance before taking a sip of his tea.

'Let's go back home. I can think of so many places where we could do it.' Zuko murmured, promptly causing the air bender to choke on his tea. 'I bet you'd look wonderful sprawled on the kitch- mmph.' Zuko said but his words were cut off as Aang clapped his hand firmly over the fire bender's mouth.

'Er, I think we should go.' Aang said, his skin feeling like it was on fire as he gingerly placed his cup onto the table and avoided Iroh's gaze.

'Yes, of course, Avatar Aang.' Iroh said, his beard twitching as he tried to suppress a smile.

'Could Zuko sleep here for the night? I'm not sure I'll be able to get him back to the house without him...you know...' Aang said, his flush deepening as Zuko dragged his tongue across the air bender's jawline.

'Yes, of course. Why don't you take Zuko to his old room?' Iroh said merrily.

'Thanks, Uncle Iroh. Good night.' Aang said as he carefully dislodged Zuko's mouth from his neck and began to half drag, half lead him out of the kitchen.

'Good night, indeed, Avatar Aang.' Iroh called from the kitchen, chuckling lightly.

'Honestly, Zuko.' Aang murmured as he slid open the door to the fire bender's bedroom and entered before sliding it shut behind him. He almost tripped over his legs in his hurry to get to the bed before the fire bender decided to arch against him in an incredibly... provocative and un-Zuko-like way.

Aang dumped the fire bender onto the bed before proceeding to almost tearing his shirt in the process of taking it off. His hands traveled down to the sash on Zuko's pants and he was just about to undo it when he looked up at the fire bender, only to see him staring down at him. His face was steadily going an odd color and Aang suspected that it was because the fire bender was holding his breath.

'Right. Not going there.' Aang said before pulling the blanket over Zuko's bare chest.

'Won't you join me?' The fire bender said in a manner that Aang supposed would have been seductive had Zuko not been half-asleep and very, very drunk.

'The sun's setting. You should get some sleep. We have to leave at midnight else you won't reach the Fire Nation in time.' Aang said softly.

'Hurm.' Zuko groaned before rolling over onto his side to look up at Aang

Aang smoothed down the fire bender's tousled hair before pulling the blankets up to his neck. 'You can't fall asleep with your eyes open, Zuko.' he said before blowing out the candle on the nightstand.

'Aang...' Zuko began headily.

'Hm...'

'I love you.' he murmured into the silence.

Aang's fingers, which had been picking at the hem of his shirt froze as he looked down at Zuko. 'What did you say?'

'I love you.' Zuko repeated, his eyes sliding shut as a small smile tugged at his lips.

The silence stretched out for several minutes and Aang was just about to speak when a loud snore echoed throughout the room. The sound startled him out of his thoughts and he looked down at a sound asleep Zuko. Aang lips curved into a bright smile but his voice was barely more than a whisper as he spoke.

'I love you too, Zuko.'

* * *

**THE END**

* * *

_*solemn silence*  
HOLY FRICK! I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!  
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!_

_*clears throat and glances around furtively*  
__My longest, stupidest, funniest, randomest, ridiculousest, most review garnering fic has finally come to an end. I kinda feel sad xD  
I decided to leave a few loose ends so that you guys can think about it for two seconds before writing a review and going on your merry way :P Sorry to all those who wanted Katara to star in this chapter but eh, she didn't deserve a spot :P_

_So, now that this fic has come to an end, I'd be forever ecstatic if you guys would review. One last time, no bribes this time xD_

_I really, really hope that you guys enjoyed this fanfiction. I really enjoyed writing it, that's for sure :D  
__Thank you so much for all the reviews, favorites, author alerts and story alerts. You guys are awesome beyond words._

_Now, run along and read my new Zukaang fic XD_

_-Jade258_


End file.
